A Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, in the ongoing matter of former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, told Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, that former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo expressed his desire to make himself available to testify in any court or forum regarding the award of Mambilla Power Project or any other matter of national interest.
Agunloye is facing trial on an amended seven-count charge bordering on official corruption and fraudulent award of Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6billion (Six Billion US Dollars).
The witness, Umar Hussein Babangida, PW3 while being cross- examined by defense counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN stated that there was a letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo dated November 27, 2023 addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation stating his willingness to testify in the matter in any arbitration court or forum when the need arises or should it considered necessary in national interest.
Babangida also spoke on the letter dated April 7, 2003, written by the defendant to the then President Obasanjo and on page 3 of that letter, the defendant raised a prayer that Sunrise Power and Transmission Company be considered for the construction of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Station, in which the former President stated no objection but asked the defendant to bring the memo to the Council for comparison with Coal Fire Thermal for 4000 megawatts to 5000 megawatts.
When asked “if the former President has a personal issue with Agunloye”, he responded by saying that he cannot recollect if the former President said anything about having a personal issue with the defendant because his response was based on the questionnaire they gave to him.
“During our interrogation with President Obasanjo, he said he was aware of the contract, but there was no approval. This was clearly documented during the Federal Executive Council meeting. He also stated that no contract was awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company during his tenure because there was no approval for the award of such contracts, nor was he aware of the existence of the contract award of May 27, 2003,” he said.
