Obasanjo didn’t approve Mambila contract, witness testifies

Stanley Ihedigbo

Third Prosecution Witness (PW3), Umar Babangida in the trial of the former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye, told Justice J.O. Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja that Agunloye’s successor, Senator Liyel Imoke revealed that the Federal Executive Council meeting of May 21, 2003 did not approve the memo of his predecessor for the award of the Mambila Hydro Power Project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.

According to the Head, Media and Publicity, Mr Dele Oyewale, Agunloye is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven-count charge, bordering on the fraudulent award of the contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and official corruption to the tune of $ 6bn.

According to the witness, the EFCC invited Imoke between August 2003 and November 2006 where he informed the investigating team that he, as Agunloye’s successor, wrote to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited that the Federal Executive Council meeting of May 21, 2003, did not approve the memo from Agunloye for the award of the Mambila Hydro Power Project to the company.

According to the witness, “Senator Liyel Imoke further informed the investigation team that in his letter to Sunrise, he advised Sunrise to rather participate in the bidding process for the power project when it is advertised. And that until he left office in November 2006, no approval was granted for the award of the project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.” Imoke, the witness said, “volunteered his statement in his handwriting to the EFCC.”

However, further disclosure by the witness that the investigating team made some general findings on the matter and presented its report to their superior for further directives, was objected to by the defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN who said that the report on the general findings should be made available in court as a proof of its existence or else, should not be cited, while the prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, held that the witness had the right to give oral testimony on his team’s findings as an investigator in the matter.

Justice Onwuegbuzie after listening to both counsels adjourned till July 7, 2025, for ruling on the propriety or not of the witness to give oral evidence on a document not presented in court. And further adjourned till July 10 and 16, 2025 for continuation of trial.