Alpha Justice & Advocacy Group has called on the EFCC to withdraw their libelious publication against the former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr. Olu Agunloye over an alleged fraud in the $6Billion Mambilla Hydroelectric Project
The group expressed their uncertainty around the charges and inclusion of Dr. Agunloye on the EFCC list alleging him of involvement in the Mambilla Project. The group also alleged the EFCC of untrue media trial against Dr. Agunloye which is all based on misrepresentation aimed at public lynching.
According to the statement, signed by Fisan Bankale, a retired Diplomat and former Managing Director of the defunct Sketch Newspapers, the former Minister of Power and Steel awarded a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) $6 Billion contract for the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project which was completely entrusted to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (Sunrise) and comes at no cost to the Federal Government.
In furtherance, the group explains that Sunrise will in effect source and provide the estimated sum of $6Billion to construct the dam, operate for 35 years to recoup their the bulk of their investments and then return to the Federal Government.
The full statement below:
“Still on the subject of Mambilla Power Project, our intervention this time is triggered by an EFCC leaflet circulating on social media declaring that Dr Agunloye is being “investigated for $6 billion fraud”.
“We are not sure whether his inclusion on that list with 14 others was deliberate or if it is an error of judgement. What we know and which is clear from the project concept and related documents is that any narrative suggesting malfeseance on his part is false.
“In office, as a true patriot and Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic, Dr. Agunloye awarded a Build, Operate and Transfer, (BOT) contract for the construction of the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Power project, estimated at the cost of $6 billion, to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (Sunrise) at no cost to the Federal Government. This, in effect, meant that Sunrise will source and provide an estimated sum of $6 billion by himself to construct the dam, operate it for 35 years to recoup his investments and then hand the dam over to the Federal Government. Under this arrangement, the Government of Nigeria will not pay the Contractor a single kobo of Nigeria’s money towards the construction and operation of this hydroelectric dam. As a matter of fact, the Federal Government of Nigeria has not paid a single Naira to Sunrise up to this very hour.
“So, how did Dr. Agunloye become classified as being in a “$6 billion fraud” as the EFCC tried to portray to the public? It is baffling. It sounds like this is about giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. We know, for a fact, that the Mambilla Power Project in question was awarded as a BOT, not as a procurement contract and not one kobo of Nigerian money was ever expended for the project under Dr. Agunloye’s watch as Minister of Power.
“While Nigerians await the trial under Hon. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie to unfold, hopeful that the court would engage professionally, we would like to counsel the anti-graft Agency, EFCC to withdraw the libelous publication as it is a disservice to the cause of natural justice and disservice to this country.
“Well-meaning Nigerians and advocates of justice and fairplay are keeping watch of events and shall, from time to time, intervene in the public space to ensure that Nigerians are well informed and we shall insist at all times that the trial runs on facts and not on media frenzy based on misrepresentation aimed at public lynching.
