Toba Owojaiye reportingÂ
Abuja , NigeriaÂ
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has pledged to testify against Olu Agunloye, the former Minister of Power and Steel, in the ongoing $2.3 billion Mambilla power contract arbitration.
Sunrise Power alleges breach of the $6 billion build, operate and transfer (BOT) contract awarded during Obasanjo’s administration. Nigeria, in defense, accuses fraud and corruption, drawing parallels to the P&ID case.
Obasanjo, in a letter, clarified that he never approved any contract to Sunrise Power, emphasizing that issuing a “letter of comfort” doesn’t equate to a contract award. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered fraud, leading to charges against suspects.
Truth Live News gathered that damning documents reveal Agunloye’s deviation from Obasanjo’s directives. Despite initial approval for negotiations with Tafag Nigeria Ltd and Sunrise, Agunloye later sought to recall the invitation. Obasanjo’s insistence on a Council memo for comparison with a coal-fired plant was allegedly ignored.
Obasanjo maintained that Agunloye never complied with his directive and reiterates his commitment to assist the government in exposing fraud. He stresses that no contract was awarded to Sunrise during his administration. Agunloye’s letter of award to Sunrise in May 2003, a day after the federal executive contract stepped down his memo, faces Obasanjo’s disapproval.
The former president stressed the limits of a minister’s authority, asserting that no minister could commit Nigeria beyond N25 million without presidential consent during his tenure. He expressed his willingness to testify in arbitration, citing the national interest in unveiling fraud, deceit, and malfeasance.
This dispute echoes the P&ID case, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in contractual dealings especially with foreign contractors.