Court adjourns suit seeking winding up of BBNaija sponsors

Big Brother Naija

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned hearing in a suit seeking the winding up of the former sponsors of Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) reality TV show, Payporte Global Systems Ltd.

The case has been adjourned till May 4, 2020.

Vacant Boards, the petitioner in the case, had filed a debt recovery suit against Payporte in 2015.

The court in its judgement delivered on May 27, 2016, awarded the sum of N231.1 million against Payporte in favour of Vacant Boards.

Vacant Boards, however, claimed Payporte made a payment of N5 million on February 27, 2017, leaving a balance of N17.1 million which it has failed to liquidate till date, in spite of several demand letters.

It, therefore, filed a petition before the Federal High Court on December 29, 2017, asking it to wind up Payporte.

When the case came up for mention, the judge announced appearance for the petitioner, but there was no representative from Vacant Boards, hence, the adjournment.

In its notice of preliminary objection to the suit, dated April 25, 2018, the respondent, Payporte, is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain or even hear the petition.

Its counsel argued that the said petition for winding up failed to comply with the provisions of sections 5 and 6 of the Companies Winding-Up Rules, 2000.

It, therefore, urged that the winding up suit be dismissed, with substantial cost awarded against the petitioner.

Payporte were the official sponsors of the second and third seasons of the Big Brother Naija show.

They were, however, replaced in the fourth season of the show amid reports that the company was facing financial difficulties.