Court Dismisses Davido’s Preliminary Objections To Amaju Pinnick’s Breach Of Contract Suit

A Delta State High Court sitting in Effurun has rejected the preliminary objections raised by Nigerian singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

The singer and his company, Davido Music Worldwide (DMW), had challenged the court’s authority to handle the breach of contract case brought against them by Amaju Pinnick and Brownhill Investment Company Limited concerning the annual ‘Warri Again Concert.’

Amaju Pinnick, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), had accused Davido of failing to perform at the ‘Warri Again Concert’ despite receiving a payment of $94,600.

“We paid Davido $94,600 on the 6th of April. We paid $18,000 for his plane. If he says he’s a big boy, we will tell him we are bigger than him,” Pinnick said in October during the 19th edition of the event.

Pinnick, the owner of Brownhill Investments Company Limited, filed a suit in November seeking N2bn as general damages, N150m as legal and professional fees, N30m as the cost of filing the suit, and a public apology from Davido.

The claimant wants the court to order the singer “to tender a public apology on all the 1st defendant’s social media accounts/handles and in two national daily newspapers for four consecutive days, to the claimant and attendees.”

The defendants argued that the lawsuit was premature and a debt recovery case since the claimant had not sent a letter of demand seeking repayment of the money they had claimed in the complaint.

However, the court dismissed the defendants’ argument in its decision on Wednesday, confirming its jurisdiction to hear and decide on the matter.

In addition, the court dismissed another objection raised by Davido and his aide Israel Afeare, questioning its authority to hear the defamation case filed against them.

The court asserted its authority to hear and decide on the matter within its jurisdiction.

The court noted that the claimant, residing in Delta, was in the state when the defendants published the alleged defamatory content online, and they accessed and saw the statements while in the state.

The court adjourned both cases for the hearing of pending applications.

While the defendants’ counsel mentioned efforts toward an out-of-court settlement, the claimant argued that no progress had been made due to their rejection of the proposed settlement terms.

KanyiDaily recalls that the dispute with Amaju Pinnick arose when Davido failed to appear at the 19th edition of Warri Again in Delta, which took place on October 6 to celebrate entertainers from the Niger Delta region.