The Presidency on Saturday, said Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to appear in a Paris arbitration court to give evidence in the number 26260/SPN/AB/CPB, was “ done willingly and out of patriotism”.
The former President had appeared in the arbitration court in Paris, France on Saturday over an alleged breach of the terms of the $6b Mambila power generation and distribution contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company of Nigeria by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.
BusinessDay gathered that the project which has dragged on for over 20 years, caused Leno Adesanya, the main anchor, to become target of anti-graft investigations, including claims that he bribed a former minister at the time to secure the contract.
Read also: Tinubu did not drag any eminent Nigerian to Paris – Presidency
The Buhari administration was said to have withheld about $200 million in payments previously approved for the project, on the advice of Abubakar Malami the former Attorney General of the federation who also communicated the decision to terminate the agreement to Adesanya and Mambilla Power on April 22, 2020.
BusinessDay also gathered that the former President will also appear on Sunday, 19th January, in continuation.
BusinessDay gathered that Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice had persuaded the former President to appear in the case, when he visited Buhari in Daura, sometimes last week.
“The AGF made it clear to the president that he must be in Paris,” the official said under anonymity to discuss the situation.
But Onanuga noted that contrary to claims that the former President was reluctant to appear before the arbitration panel, he did so willingly.
According to Onanuga, “All the eminent Nigerians involved in Nigeria’s defence are doing so willingly and out of sheer patriotism and conviction”.
Sources close to Buhari had disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the decision to drag the former President before the foreign arbitration panel.
The appearance in a court by the former Nigerian leader was rare as no previous leader had appeared in cases over actions they took while in office.
The previous leaders had always assigned former executives to answer for all powers exercised on behalf of the president during their tenures.
In a swift response however, Onanuga described the claims as “fake”, adding that “The private proceeding, which should not have been reported in the media, is entirely confidential until the international arbitrators decide.
“While respecting the confidentiality of the proceeding, we wish to state categorically that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not forced anyone to testify for or to refrain from testifying against Nigeria.
“All the eminent Nigerians involved in Nigeria’s defence are doing so willingly and out of sheer patriotism and conviction.
He however stated that “President Tinubu and the entire country are grateful to them.”
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