UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA V. GRATIA CONSULTS LTD & GEOFFREY EZE

ABUBAKAR SADIQ UMAR, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This appeal is against the ruling of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, delivered by D.V Agishi J. on the 16th day of June, 2014 dismissing in its entirety the preliminary objection raised by the Appellant challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the matter on the ground that the action is incompetent for being statute barred under the Public Officers Protection Act.

BRIEF FACTS OF THE CASE

The facts that lead to the institution of this interlocutory appeal as gleaned from the record was that the Plaintiff now Respondent in this instant appeal filed an action against the Defendant now Appellant on 26th February, 2013 claiming inter alia the sum of N14, 750,000 (Fourteen Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) representing unpaid balance of consultancy fees of the Respondents for services rendered to the Appellant.

The Respondents equally claimed N2, 000,000 representing out of pocket expenses incurred i…