Towncriers Limited, the company responsible for prize presentation of the MTN ultimate wonder promo has claimed responsibility for presenting a cheque with the wrong sum of N2 million to Omeje Chkwuma Fidelis and have vowed to pay him N1.850 million as the balance sum of the N150,000 earlier given to him as directed by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).
In a statement issued yesterday, the company said that although Omeje Chukwuma Fidelis was informed of the error in November 2012 when he received and clarified his winnings of the sum of N150,000.00, they are willing and ready to pay him the balance of his claimed winnings in order to bring closure to the matter.
“Whilst we were not party to any proceedings conducted by the CPC over the claim by Omeje Chukwuma Fidelis, we state without any equivocation that the process of selection of and the list of winners was duly endorsed and vetted by all parties involved, including the client, MTN Nigeria, renowned auditors, Alexander Forbes and the National Lottery Commission. Consequently, Fidelis was confirmed as a winner in the N150,000.00 category and not the N2m category.
“Fidelis was inadvertently issued a dummy cheque in the wrong sum which was later clarified to him pursuant to which he did receive and acknowledge his winnings of the sum of N150,000.00 in November, 2012. We were therefore surprised when our attention was again drawn to this particular promo which was concluded almost four years ago with Fidelis and all other winners in the said promotion receiving their prizes.
In any event, having organised the prize presentation ceremony, we are desirous of final closure on the subject and following the CPC’s position, we expect that Omeje Chukwuma Fidelis’ receipt of the sum of N1,850,000.00, without prejudice to our reservations, will bring this matter to a close,” the statement read.
Prior to this released statement by the company, the CPC had directed mobile telecommunications operator, MTN Communications Nigeria Limited, to pay N1.850m to one of the winners of its Ultimate Wonder Promo for lack of due diligence.
Abiodun Obimuyiwa, CPC’s spokesperson said that the council had demanded to listen to the call data where MTN claimed to have communicated with the winner, informing him of his prize but that the telecommunications operator was unable to provide this data.
“The CPC demanded the call data of the communications of October 10, 2012 when Omeje was informed of his winnings of N150,000, but MTN failed, refused and neglected to comply with the request made both in 2012 and 2016.
“The CPC, in its orders, frowned on the consistent refusal of MTN to provide the call data records evidencing details of communication with the complainant, declaring that in the absence of this material evidence, which is solely in the possession of the respondent, the CPC must resolve the issue in favour of the complainant.
“It further declared that the process of the MTN Ultimate Wonder Promotion whereby the verification exercise was conducted after winners were identified, declared and winnings presented publicly is grossly flawed, lacking in transparency, inequitable and apparently calculated to deceive consumers.”
The CPC, on the strength of these observations, directed MTN to pay within 14 days of receipt of the order, the sum of N1,850,000, being the unpaid part of the N2m prize won by the complainant in the 2012 MTN Ultimate Wonder Promotion.
According to Omeje, he participated in the promo and was called through the MTN line 180 on October 10, 2012 that he had won N2m and that two days later, he got a text message informing him of the presentation ceremony fixed for October 19, 2012 in Abuja.
The complainant asserted that during the said ceremony, he was presented with a dummy cheque of N2m with his name on it, interviewed and paraded before the media and the world as the winner of the said amount.
He said that he was surprised when he received another call from the MTN line 180 in November 2012, saying that he won N150, 000 and was thereafter given a Verve automated teller machine (ATM) card for that amount.
Towncriers limited said it felt obligated to respond to these claims as it managed the prize presentation ceremony where the matter in question occurred.
“We feel obliged to address the subject matter in view of the misrepresentation which has since caused substantial embarrassment, over a process which was conducted professionally and under the supervision of credible regulatory and audit agencies.
“With regards to the issue at hand, we are aware that MTN as a matter of policy engages independent auditors and relevant regulatory agencies to supervise all their promos, as was done in this case. Indeed, the testimonials of hundreds of winners over the years lend credence to the authenticity of these promos,” the company said.
JUMOKE AKIYODE
