Obasanjo Willing to Testify in $6bn Mambila Fraud Trial

In the ongoing trial over the alleged $6 billion fraud in the Mambila Power Project contract, a key prosecution witness revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed readiness to testify when necessary. Umar Hussein Babangida, the third prosecution witness, told Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the Federal High Court in Abuja that Obasanjo sent a letter dated November 27, 2023, to the Attorney General, affirming his willingness to appear in any court or forum to provide testimony on the matter if deemed important in the national interest.

The trial concerns former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, who faces multiple corruption charges related to the allegedly fraudulent award of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project contract. Babangida referenced a 2003 letter from Agunloye to Obasanjo, where Agunloye requested the consideration of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company for the project. The former president reportedly did not object but requested the proposal be compared against a competing coal-fired thermal power project during a Federal Executive Council meeting. Obasanjo’s position, as testified, was that he was aware of the contract but never approved it, emphasizing no contract award was granted to Sunrise Power during his tenure.

Further testimony revealed that despite a presidential directive to abandon the existing memorandum of understanding with Sunrise Power and open the project for competitive bidding, Agunloye proceeded with awarding the contract to Sunrise Power within 24 hours of that directive. The case continues to elicit attention given the magnitude of the alleged fraud and the involvement of prominent political figures.

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This trial is a critical development in Nigeria’s fight against corruption in the power sector, highlighting complex bureaucratic processes and the interplay of political decisions in major national projects.