Drama as Ex-Governors Involved in Deals Leading to Nigeria's Presidential Jets Seizure Open Up

• Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Ogun state, has urged the federal government not to enter into negotiations with a Chinese Firm laying claims to Nigeria's assets
• Amosun's predecessor, Gbenga Daniel, has also vowed to support the federal government in reclaiming the assets being seized in France
• Daniel entered a deal with the Chinese company that was terminated during Amosun's time, a development which led to the seizure of three of Nigeria's presidential jets by a French court

Two former governors of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and Gbenga Daniel, have pledged to support the Federal Government's efforts to recover national assets seized by a French court.

The assets, including three presidential jets, were seized due to a judgment awarded to a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited.

How Ogun entered deals with Chinese firm

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It was reported that the firm had entered into a joint venture agreement with the Ogun State Government in 2007 to create the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company.

However, the agreement broke down in 2016, leading to Zhongshan filing lawsuits in Nigerian courts, which failed.

The company then took the case to a French court, which awarded damages and prohibited Nigeria from moving or selling the presidential jets until the company was paid $74.5m.

Amosun described Zhongshan as a scammer and stated that the company's claims for compensation were unfounded.

Why Nigeria should ignore Chinese firm

He insisted that Nigeria should not negotiate with Zhongshan, as it would encourage an unlawful entity to appropriate national assets.

Amosun explained that the state government had appointed Zhongfu as an interim zone manager in 2012 but later discovered that the company's claims were lies.

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He stated that the matter was a trade dispute between two Chinese entities without connection to Ogun State or the Federal Government.

Chinese firm vs Ogun: Daniel speaks

Daniel also pledged to support the Federal Government, offering to provide documents to help pursue the case against Zhongshan.

He described the issue as a sensitive matter involving national assets and the commonwealth, which every Nigerian should be concerned about.

Both former governors are committed to helping the Federal Government recover the seized assets and resolve the national embarrassment.

Nigeria loses another asset to China

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Ogun state government was again fined $70 million in an arbitrary appeal against the earlier judgment secured by Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm.

In a final charge, a United States Court of Appeal ordered the Chinese firm to take over two properties in the US.

The federal government had appealed the District Court of Columbia's ruling earlier, but the court insisted on having the right to hear the matter and gave its reason.

Source: Legit.ng