Former Governors Daniel and Amosun speak out on Nigeria-Chinese firm dispute, offer support

Former Ogun State governors, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, have broken their silence on the dispute between Nigeria and Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited.

The Chinese company has seized a Dassault Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737-7N6/BBJ and an Airbus A330-243 belonging to the Federal Government stationed at Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse airports in France over the past week.

This follows a Paris court order regarding a contract dispute between the Ogun State government and the company.

The contract was signed when Daniel took office in 2007.

On Friday, the company released one of its three planes to allow President Bola Tinubu to use it for his trip to Paris where he will meet his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

In separate statements on Saturday, the former governors expressed their readiness to assist the Federal Government in finding a way out of the controversial decision that paved the way for the seizure of the country’s presidential jet.

Daniel, who spoke in a statement titled: “Confiscated National Assets/Ogun/Guangdong FTZ: Our Story,” said he was ready to provide relevant documents that would help Nigeria find a way out of the contractual impasse.

The statement read: “Since the report of the Arbitration and legal issues between the Chinese Company and the Federal Government of Nigeria/Ogun State Government regarding the termination of the Management contract in the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone, the Media Office of His Excellency, Senator Otunba Engr Gbenga Daniel, FNSE, FAEng has been inundated with calls seeking Otunba Daniel’s reaction on the matter.

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“We need to make it clear that Otunba Gbenga Daniel or his government is not discussing this issue in court and arbitration, nor the terms and conditions of the Agreement for the establishment of the FTZ, but rather the termination of the Management Contract. The judgments in all the courts are very clear on this.

“Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel would rather engage in assisting Nigeria, through the President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to find a diplomatic solution to the issues at hand with available records that can assist the Federal Government in furthering its course in arbitration and in the courts.

“He cannot do this on the pages of newspapers and other media which can also compromise the strength of Nigeria’s argument in court. We also need to appreciate that this matter is being handled by various courts in several countries and anyone has the right to speak on it.”

Meanwhile, Amosun vowed to work with government agencies in any capacity to ensure that Nigerians are not defrauded by Chinese companies or other entities.

The former governor expressed concern that a mere business dispute between two Chinese nationals and some companies had now turned into an illegal attempt to seize Nigerian assets.

Former Governors Daniel and Amosun break silence on Nigeria-Chinese firm dispute, offer support first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.