Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained that his decision to testify at the Mambilla Power Project arbitration in France was driven by the need to address what he called “atrocious” claims made by former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, and to set the record straight.
Obasanjo clarified that, contrary to some speculations, President Bola Tinubu did not ask him to testify in the case. He emphasized that his decision to take part in the arbitration was entirely his own, stating, “I volunteered to testify in this case. Nobody asked me to do so. President Tinubu did not request my testimony as was speculated. I didn’t discuss my intention with anyone.”
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Obasanjo took the stand on Wednesday during the ongoing arbitration. His testimony follows that of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking with Premium Times in Paris, Obasanjo elaborated, “I chose to testify because of the statement made by Olu Agunloye. I found his claims to be egregious and felt it was necessary to correct the record.”
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Sunrise Power, which alleges that it was awarded a $6 billion contract by the Obasanjo administration in May 2003 to build, operate, and transfer the Mambilla Power Plant, is currently in arbitration with the Nigerian government at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. The company is seeking $2.3 billion in damages, claiming breach of contract, and is seeking compensation for the financial and legal expenses it incurred.
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Agunloye, who served as the Minister of Power during the contract’s award, had earlier responded to Obasanjo’s accusations by describing them as “baseless, false, and malicious.” Agunloye stated that the required investment to complete the project was valued at a maximum of $6 billion, as agreed by four different ministers of power, including Obasanjo, before Agunloye assumed the role.
The Nigerian government has also alleged that fraud and corruption were involved in the awarding of the contract, implicating some public officials in the process.
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