The EFCC has set up a team to investigate individuals named in alleged shady deals in the Mambilla Power Project, involving Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd (Sunrise).
Insiders familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the new team is being supervised by the Chairman of the commission, Olanipekun Olukoyede.
The move follows an award issued in favour of Nigeria on Thursday by an International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, which rejected the claims in the arbitration instituted by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd (Sunrise).
The company had made a claim against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, demanding $680 million as a settlement sum and interest in respect of another arbitration in which it is claiming over $2.7 billion in compensation and interest.
The claim relates to disputes associated with the development of the 3,960 MW Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
The tribunal, in its verdict on Thursday, directed Sunrise and its promoter to refund Nigeria’s legal fees of $11.8 million. It also rejected Sunrise’s claim for an order that Nigeria should pay the company $400 million in satisfaction of the settlement sum of $200 million and the default sum of $200 million.
PREMIUM TIMES’ review of the tribunal’s award showed that many Nigerian politicians and individuals who held public offices were named as associates or officials who had dealings with Mr Adesanya, some in circumstances the tribunal considered shady, corrupt and questionable.
The officials include Atiku Abubakar, his then-wife Jennifer Douglas, Abubakar Malami, Olu Agunloye, Sambo Dasuki, his son Abubakar Dasuki, Abdullahi Yola, and Dere Awosika.
Mr Malami, a former AGF was severely criticised by the tribunal for acting against Nigeria’s national interest.
Atiku, former vice president of Nigeria, was named by the tribunal in its review of a $500,000 payment made by Mr Adesanya on 30 January 2003 from the Swiss bank account of his offshore company, China Castle Investments Ltd, to a US bank account belonging to Ms Douglas, Atiku’s ex-wife…
Source: PREMIUM TIMES
