Buhari Appears in Paris Court Over Power Contract Dispute

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari appeared before a court in Paris, where he faced questioning in an arbitration case concerning a dispute over a power generation and distribution contract.

Sources from Peoples Gazette confirmed that Buhari was summoned to the court on Saturday for allegedly breaching the terms of a contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company of Nigeria by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.

The $6 billion project has been delayed for over 20 years. Its lead figure, Leno Adesanya, has been the subject of anti-corruption investigations, including allegations that he bribed a former minister to secure the contract.

It was reported that Buhari was questioned for hours on Saturday, with his testimony set to continue today, Sunday, at the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration in Paris under case number 26260/SPN/AB/CPB.

A senior government official disclosed that Buhari was initially unwilling to testify, but Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi visited him at his Daura residence last week to ensure his compliance.

“The Attorney-General made it clear to the former president that he must be in Paris,” the official stated anonymously. The source further revealed that President Bola Tinubu approved the decision to have his predecessor appear before the foreign arbitration panel. It is rare for a Nigerian president to appear in court for actions taken while in office, as former aides are typically responsible for defending such decisions. For example, in 2017, former President Goodluck Jonathan ignored a subpoena to testify in a criminal trial in Abuja.

Efforts to reach Minister Fagbemi and other presidential spokespersons for comments on the administration's decision were unsuccessful. Similarly, Buhari’s spokesman was unavailable for comment as of Saturday evening.

Buhari’s administration was accused of withholding approximately $200 million in payments that had been approved for the project, which was planned to be executed in collaboration with a Chinese consortium.

Court documents showed that former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami conveyed the decision to terminate the contract to Adesanya and Mambilla Power on April 22, 2020.

However, Adesanya protested the government’s actions against his company, leading to attempts to arrest and charge him with bribery and economic sabotage. He denied the allegations and pursued arbitration.

Adesanya also faced challenges defending himself in Nigerian courts after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted. He was charged alongside Olu Agunloye, a former Minister of Power under President Obasanjo.

Adesanya stated that his aim was to ensure sustainable electricity supply in Nigeria when he proposed the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project through Sunrise Ltd, which was designated as the special purpose vehicle for executing the project.