# Tags

BUHARI’S ABSENCE FROM APC NEC MEETING EXPLAINED

Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence from the recent All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja has been attributed to a late invitation. The meeting, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saw attendance from prominent APC leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and various governors. Buhari’s spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a Statement explained that the invitation to Buhari was sent late, reaching him only on Tuesday, just a day before the meeting. “President Muhammadu Buhari is not a caucus member of the party. He was supposed to attend the NEC meeting, but unfortunately, the invitation was forwarded to him on Monday,” Shehu stated. However, Shehu emphasized, Buhari’s spirit remains with the attendees as well as the entire party members. His status as a founding member of the APC and his contributions to the party also remains unwavering.

NIGERIA FACES LEGAL TROUBLE OVER MAMBILLA POWER PROJECT AS OBASANJO AND BUHARI GIVE CONFLICTING TESTIMONIES

Nigeria’s defense in the long-standing legal battle over the $6 billion Mambilla Power Project has been dealt a significant blow after former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari gave conflicting testimonies before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration in Paris. The contradictory accounts have raised serious questions about Nigeria’s defense strategy, potentially jeopardizing the country’s chances of avoiding a hefty $2.3 billion compensation claim by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company. Agunloye Obasanjo testified on January 22, 2025, dismissing the legitimacy of the 2003 contract, arguing that it was illegally signed by the then Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, despite the Federal Executive Council (FEC) rejecting it. “The agreement relied on by Sunrise Power was never valid. A minister cannot single-handedly approve a contract after the Federal Executive Council had rejected it,” Obasanjo declared. Malami & Fashola However, Buhari’s testimony on January 23, 2025, provided a starkly different narrative, admitting that his administration had recognized and engaged with Sunrise Power over the contract. “I directed the Attorney General, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Minister of Works and Power, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), to negotiate with Sunrise Power,” he stated. Buhari’s admission has inadvertently strengthened Sunrise Power’s claim, suggesting that successive administrations recognized the contract, even if it was initially disputed. The contradictory testimonies have put Nigeria’s legal team in a difficult position. If Buhari’s admission is considered valid, it could be interpreted as an official acknowledgment of the contract’s legitimacy, making it harder for Nigeria to argue against paying the $2.3 billion compensation. With the case nearing its final stages at the ICC, legal experts believe Nigeria faces an uphill battle in proving its innocence.