$9.6bn P&ID judgement: CSOs oppose payment, back Malami

A coalition of civil society groups have opposed the payment of $9.6bn fine imposed on Nigeria by a UK based arbitration tribunal.

The coalition said the judgement as a subterranean plot to blackmail the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation, Mr Abubakar Malami over the controversial $9.6 billion P&ID judgement.

Addressing a press conference, Friday in Abuja,the Convener of the

Guardians of Democracy and Development, Transparency and Accountability Mr Solomon Adodo, who spoke on behalf the coalition, said he was in possession of credible information on attempt by hired ‘unpatriotic’

civil society groups to blackmail Malami.

Their intention, he said, is to pass the buck and pave way for the hasty implementation of the $9.6 billion judgement premised on a sham lawsuit filed at a court in the United Kingdom.

The group said Malami did not play any role inthe said contract, adding that Mr. Michael Quinn of P & ID and Mr. RilwanuLukman the then

Minister of Petroleum Resources signed the Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) on behalf of P&ID and the Nigerian government respectively in 2010.

They vowed to resist any group or individual who sets out to frustrate ongoing efforts by the government to stall the implementation of the judgment delivered by a court in the United Kingdom (UK)

“It is therefore mischievous to accuse Mr.Malami of sabotaging the federal government’s effort whereas he was not there from the commencement of the deal and/or the legal brickbats that ensued.

“Our findings reveal that the intentions of these civil society groups is to distract the Attorney General of the Federation while frustrating the efforts of the Federal Government to amicably arrive at a more

plausible solution which will create a soft landing for Nigeria.

 “P& ID has therefore engaged these mischievous civil society groups to serve as smokescreen in fighting the Attorney General of the Federation. Available records show that the trump card of P&ID has been

to consistently dig upmud and smear the image of any individual occupying the Office of Attorney General of the Federation.

 “We therefore use this medium to discountenance these civil society groups before they embark on their binge of mischief against the Nigerian State,’’ the coalition said.

Leave a Reply