sort between it and the offer. He cited the case of Orient Bank (Nig) Plc
V. Bilante International Ltd (1997) 8 NWLR (pt. 515) 37.
In the case under consideration, in terms of conduct of parties, words and
documents between them, the only link of the Plaintiff to the sale or
purchaser of shops in EFAB mall is the presentation of photocopy of a
bank teller Exhibits AA1 & AA2 to the 1st Defendant there is no evidence
that the 1st Defendant issued a receipt to the Plaintiff acknowledging
the payment he allegedly made in respect of (4) shops or that the shop
numbers he claimed he paid for were indicated, rather it was additional
payment in respect of 6 no shops that were received by the 1st
Defendant and receipted of payment was accordingly made and
forwarded to the 2nd Defendant. The Plaintiff did not pay the balance of
the purchase price and therefore did not fill any form to that effect.
Counsel urged the Court to hold that there was no contract or
contractual relationship between the Plaintiff and the 1st Defendant
which this Court can enforce.
On issue 2: whether the Plaintiff acted as an agent in the process and
procedure leading to the purchase of 6 no of shops by the 2nd
Defendant?,
Counsel referred the Court to the case of Bamgboye V. Unilorin (1999) 10
NWLR Pt. 622 ratio 2 pg 383 – 384 the Court defined an agent thus:
“An agent is one who is authorized to act for or in place of
another, a representative. The word “agent” denotes one who
acts, a doer etc. who accomplishes a thing or things. The agent
normally binds his principal and certainly not himself by the
contract he makes, an agent is a person authorized by
another to act for him, one entrusted with another’s business.
An agent means more or less the same thing as a delegate”
Counsel submitted that the PW1 on record said he was not the branch
manager of the 2nd Defendant but admitted he was chief operating
officer. Whatever his nomenclature may be, there is ample evidence to
show that the PW1, acted on behalf of the 2nd Defendant either as agent
or messenger in the process and procedure leading to the purchase of
the 6 no shops from the 1st Defendant.
He further stated that under cross examination by the counsel to 2nd
Defendant, PW1 was asked if in his relationship to the 2nd Defendant, you
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