Valerian Vianney & Partners LP confirmed in a statement that Obasi was rightfully hired under a Designer Services Agreement to remodel Rema’s Lagos home.
Major structural work, including demolition, building enlargement from four to five bedrooms, pool reconstruction, roofing, flooring, tiling, POP installation, and carport construction, were covered by the agreement, it stated.

The company clarified that Obasi had kept in close contact with Rema during the remodeling and had completed two prior projects for the Ikubor family effectively and without incident.

The statement claims that Rema never complained about the caliber of the work because she gave frequent updates on the project’s status and included pictures and videos.

The law firm responded to worries about delays by stating that they were brought on by circumstances beyond of Obasi’s control, such as Rema’s design changes, the estate managers’ access limitations, and rising inflation-related material costs.

The firm pointed out that Obasi did not increase her professional fees in spite of these setbacks and an increased project scope.  According to the firm, the parties’ argument only started when they started talking about extra labor that wasn’t covered in the initial contract.

It argued that the matter shouldn’t have been made a criminal case because it was a civil commercial dispute.   It denounced the purported arrest of Obasi by the Nigeria Police in response to Rema’s petition, characterizing the action as an abuse of police authority and a breach of her constitutional rights.

“The claim of fraud and money obtained through deception is baseless. “The law shouldn’t be used as a weapon to criminalize civil disputes or as a means of collecting debt,” the statement said.