By CHARLES IWUOHA

Former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has described the Chinese firm that seized Nigeria’s presidential jets, Zhongfu International Investment FXE, as an impostor who merely sought to de-market China Africa Investment FXE and covert the state-owned assets of Guangdong Province in China.

Amosun broke his silence on the saga via a statement obtained by News Express on Saturday, August 17, 2024.

The former governor disclosed that upon assumption of office in 2011, he discovered that the two Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE, are laying claim to management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone, OGFTZ.

The business dispute according to him became fierce, grounded seamless business activities and threatened public peace and safety within the Zone and neighbouring communities.

Amosun disclosed that the dispute was settled with the intervention of the Chinese Government via Diplomatic Note 1601, in 2016 wherein it was clarified that China Africa Investment FXE was the rightful investor.

Amosun’s statement reads: “Our administration assumed office on 29 May, 2011. Very shortly after we took office, two different sets of Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE laid claims to Management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ).

“The business dispute and rivalry between the Chinese concerns soon became fierce, grounded seamless business activities and threatened public peace and safety within the Zone and neighboring communities.

“Zhongfu International Investment FXE, pretending to be a concerned and genuine tenant and Zone stakeholder volunteered very damaging and destructive information about the official representatives of Guangdong Province, the Joint Venturer and lawful Zone Managers, China Africa Investment FXE and subsequently requested to be appointed as Interim Zone Managers.

“Based on the information at the disposal of Government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE was on 15/03/2012 appointed as Interim Zone Manager pending further evaluation. The whole idea was to ensure that someone was in charge and thereby prevent unwholesome and untoward development in the Zone pending the completion of our fact finding exercise.

“It was later discovered that the information and claims volunteered by Zhongfu International Investment FXE against China Africa Investment FXE were tissues of lies.

“Unknown to Ogun Goverment at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE merely sought to de-market China Africa Investment FXE and to surreptitiously covert the State-owned assets of Guangdong Province in China together with the Zone ownership and management rights of their business rival.

“The Government of the Peoples Republic of China, via its Diplomatic Note 1601 dated 11th March, 2016 clarified to Ogun State Government, that China Africa Investment FXE was the rightful investor. After due consultation with the relevant organs of Government, we gave effect to the request of the Chinese Government.

“We do recall, that Zhongfu International Investment FXE approached Nigerian courts in different jurisdictions to ventilate its legal and business rights. They lost all their four cases in court.

“We also consulted with and took advice from the State Security Services and the supervising Agency, NEPZA, on the best way to proceed. Accordingly, we served Zhongfu International Investment FXE with formal Termination Notice dated 27 May, 2016.

“For completeness of records, we must mention that Zhongfu International Investment FXE proceeded to Court.

“Among others, the proceedings in Suit No HCT/417/2016: Zhongfu International Investment FXE Vs OGFTZ and, FCT/ABJ/CS/601/2016: Zhongfu International Investment FXE Vs NEPZA & Ors will help to throw light on this business dispute between two Chinese entities – Zhongfu and China Africa.

“The final judgement in one other case, Suit No AB/04/2017: Zenith Global Merchant International Investment Ltd Vs Zhongfu International Investment FXE delivered on 29/3/2017 specifically restrained a reference to arbitration in the special circumstances of the matter being a trade dispute between two Chinese entities- Zhongfu and China Africa, with little or no connection with either Ogun State or the Federal Government.

“Not satisfied with the decisions of the various courts, Zhongfu International Investment FXE took its case, and wrote petitions at various times, to higher authorities in Abuja; the Presidency, Hon Minister of Trade & Investment; Attorney General & Minister of Justice, Inspector General of Police, EFCC and the National Assembly (both the House of Representatives and the Senate) among others.

“We successfully defended our actions at all levels before these organs of government, and they all agreed with our position. Shortly after, our administration left office in May, 2019.”

He clarified that his administration did not dispatch security personnel to beat or threaten anyone, saying that any report of such must have come from one of the contending rivals in an attempt to outdo the other.

Amosun, however, expressed readiness to work with the agencies of government to ensure that Nigeria is not scammed by Zhongfu International Investment FXE, or any other entity.

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