A disagreement has reportedly emerged between a laundry service operator in Asaba, Delta State, and an aide to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Hon. Chief Efe Tobor, over an alleged outstanding payment of N165,000 for laundry services rendered over a period of several months.
The laundry operator, identified as Emeka John Mba, alleged that Tobor accumulated the debt after patronising his business but subsequently stopped making payments for clothes washed on his behalf.
Speaking with our correspondents in Asaba, Mba explained that the relationship began when the governor’s aide moved into an apartment along Amaka and Uche Keshi Street, behind the Mother of Divine Grace Orphanage Home, off NTA Road, Asaba.
According to him, Tobor initially patronised his laundry business and made payments regularly before the transactions allegedly became irregular, with payments made only occasionally.
He claimed that the situation eventually deteriorated when the payments stopped altogether, despite his continued provision of laundry services, causing the outstanding amount to accumulate to N165,000.
Mba further alleged that after the debt had accumulated, the official stopped patronising his business and became difficult to reach whenever he encountered him in the neighbourhood.
The laundry operator said his attempts to recover the money through informal channels had so far proved unsuccessful.
He disclosed that he had approached some elderly residents in the neighbourhood to intervene and appeal to the governor’s aide to settle the alleged outstanding bill.
He also claimed that members of the local landlords’ association, as well as friends and other neighbours, had made efforts to resolve the disagreement amicably, but that the matter remained unresolved as of the time of his account.
The development reportedly took another turn when our correspondent contacted Tobor by telephone to obtain his reaction to the allegation.
During the conversation, the official reportedly denied owing the laundry operator and warned the correspondent against publishing any report about him, allegedly threatening to deal with the journalist if anything was written against him.
The correspondent subsequently informed Mba about the telephone conversation.
Mba later contacted our correspondent again, alleging that Tobor had visited his laundry shop accompanied by security personnel, some of whom he claimed were armed.
According to Mba, the visit followed his earlier interaction with the journalist and was accompanied by allegations from the official that some clothes entrusted to the laundry operator had been lost.
The laundry operator, however, disputed the allegation, describing it as an attempt to shift attention from the outstanding payment he claimed was due to him.
The reported encounter has raised concerns about the need for disputes between service providers and their customers, irrespective of social standing or political position, to be resolved through lawful and peaceful means.
While the laundry operator maintains that he is seeking payment for services allegedly rendered, the official’s denial makes it important for the parties to provide any relevant records, including laundry receipts, payment history, correspondence and other evidence that could help establish the facts.
At the centre of the disagreement is a young business operator seeking to recover money he claims represents the proceeds of his work, and a public office holder who has disputed the allegation.
The matter underscores the importance of mutual respect, contractual responsibility and peaceful dispute resolution in everyday commercial relationships.
Efforts to obtain a further and detailed response from Hon. Chief Efe Tobor, particularly concerning the alleged outstanding debt and the reported visit to the laundry shop, would be necessary to establish his position on the specific claims made by Mba.