** describe report as fake news
The former minister of justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN has denied the report making round that he has agreed to testify against Nigeria in the ongoing arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Paris, France.
The former chief law officer of the Federation also, described the report as not only been a fake news but an outright mischief .
His words “I have denied testifying against Nigeria in sunrise arbitration against Nigeria. I filed an independent statement denying the unfounded allegations against me in certain paragraphs 165 and 166 in the FRN statement of defence and counterclaim.
Chief Aondoakaa contended that since the offensive averments against him in FRN statement of defence and counter claim were not supported by any of the FRN witness statements, the Arbitral Tribunal should expunged them from its records.
Aondoakaa stated further that apart from his official action as directed to him by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua GCFR concerning Mambilla hydropower project ,he is not for or against any party in the on going Sunrise Arbitration against FRN.All his actions concerning the said project were documented as official public documents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The said public documents of his actions concerning Mambila Hydropower power project in Tabara State can be obtained at the Federal Ministry of Justice ,the Presidency and EFCC
Sunrise Power, a company promoted by Leno Adesanya, had, on October 10, 2017, started arbitration against Nigeria at the ICC seeking a $2.354 billion award for “breach of contract” in relation to a 2003 agreement to construct the 3,050MW plant in Mambilla, Taraba state, on a “build, operate and transfer” (BOT) basis.
The Nigerian government has maintained that Olu Agunloye, then minister of power, acted outside of his powers when he awarded his contract.
Nigeria is also alleging fraud and corruption in the award and in the subsequent settlement agreements reached in an attempt to settle the dispute.
Agunloye is currently on trial in Nigeria for his alleged role in the contract saga. He denies all allegations.
Contrary to the report that Adesanya was represented by Mohammed Seidu Diri, a Senior lawyer who served as special assistant to Aondoakaa when he was AGF.
Investigations reveals that Mr. Diri, been a career civil servant, served as Senior Assistant to Chief Bayo Ojo SAN, before Aondoakaa even became AGF.
He was also a Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) at the federal ministry of justice after Aondoakaa left the office as HAGF and retired as the Director of legal services at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Director legal Services Federal Ministry of Health barely two years ago, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Presently Mohammed Saidu Diri SAN is practising as a lawyer with his law M S Diri (SAN)& CO in Abuja.
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