As reported by Business News Nigeria, former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has appeared in an arbitration court in Paris regarding a dispute over a federal power contract. Reports indicate that he was called to testify on Saturday for allegedly violating the terms of a power generation and distribution agreement given to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company of Nigeria by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003. This $6 billion project has faced delays for over 20 years, and its key figure, Leno Adesanya, has been investigated for corruption, including accusations of bribing a former minister to obtain the contract.
Buhari was questioned for several hours on Saturday and is set to continue his testimony on Sunday at the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration in case number 26260/SPN/AB/CPB. A senior official from the administration mentioned that Buhari was hesitant to testify, but Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi visited him in Daura last week to ensure his attendance. The official stated that the Attorney-General emphasized the necessity of Buhari being in Paris. President Bola Tinubu approved the decision to bring his predecessor before the international arbitration panel.
It is uncommon for a Nigerian president to testify in a court case related to their actions while in office, as former aides typically handle such matters. For instance, in 2017, former President Goodluck Jonathan ignored a court summons to appear in a criminal trial in Abuja. Neither Mr. Fagbemi nor two presidential spokespersons responded to requests for comments on this decision, and attempts to reach a spokesperson for Mr. Buhari on Saturday evening were unsuccessful. Buhari’s administration faced allegations of withholding around $200 million in payments that had been approved for the project.
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