- Tinubu sanctioned his Attorney General of the Federation request to have Buhari, his predecessor, take the stand in the ongoing litigation
The Presidency has reacted to report that it ‘forced’ former Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari, to testify in an arbitration proceeding in Paris over a federal government power contract imbroglio.
A report had emerged on Saturday that President Bola Tinubu sanctioned his Attorney General of the Federation request to have Buhari, his predecessor, take the stand in the ongoing litigation over the 20-year-old N6 billion Mambilla power project dispute.
According to Peoples Gazette, Buhari was dragged to the court on Saturday for breaching the terms of a power generation and distribution contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company of Nigeria by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006.
Reacting to the report, the presidency said it did not strong-arm or coax the former president into taking witness stand in the French court.
It stated that those testifying in Nigeria’s defence are doing of their own accord and not compelled.
Even though it denied strong-arming Buhari into testifying, the presidency was evasive in confirming if the arbitration was taking place.
The Presidency denied the reports in a statement signed by President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, “While respecting the confidentiality of the proceeding, we wish to state categorically that President Bola Tinubu has not forced anyone to testify for or against Nigeria.
“All the eminent Nigerians involved in Nigeria’s defence are doing so willingly and out of sheer patriotism and conviction.
“President Tinubu and the entire country are grateful to them.”
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