National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South, Dr. Cairo Ojuigboh, yesterday made shocking revelations to the effect that the processes leading to the establishment of the Centenary City in Abuja were “an elaborate scheme, cunningly conceived to defraud the Government and the good people of Nigeria.”
The Centenary City Project, located off Umaru Yar’Adua Road, Abuja was promoted by the former President Goodluck Jonathan led administration with huge funds expended on it.
Ojuigboh, who is also the Chairman of the board of the Nigeria Export Processing Authority (NEPZA), insisted that “the Project is ‘crime personified’; as the stated Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) was obtained under false pretense, and cunningly contrived to look like a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.”
He spoke through his lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, in Abuja yesterday, following a lawsuit brought against him by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim. Anyim has sued him for maintaining similar position in recent press interviews.
In the N1billion libel suit Marked CV/2598/15 filled by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the former Senate President claimed that Ojuigboh’s position on the Centenary City Project was libelous of his person and capable of scaring away foreign investors.
Ojuigboh, in a statement issued yesterday by Ajulo, stated although he was yet to be served court processes in relation to Anyim’s suit, he insisted on his position about the project. He disclosed that he has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to probe the project and ensure those behind it were prosecuted.
“However, for the purpose of clarity and probity, we want to re-affirm that our client, Dr. Cairo Ojuigboh, who is also Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Export Processing Authority (NEPZA) stands unequivocally behind the comments attributed to him in both interviews. His assertion is that processes leading to the establishment of the Centenary City, were indeed an elaborate scheme, cunningly conceived to defraud the Government and the good people of Nigeria. As stated in the interviews that he granted, our client is of the informed opinion that the project is “crime personified”; this is because the stated Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) was obtained under false pretense, and cunningly contrived to look like a Public Private Partnership arrangement. Our client further avows that the entity was also cunningly incorporated as a free zone without any authority whatsoever to do so, on the part of Senator Anyim. As it is public knowledge, that the only agency with the authority to designate any area as a free-trade zone is the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority- NEPZA where our client served the nation as Chairman of the Board.
“It was therefore inevitable that our client, being a man of conscience, who would have no traffic with impunity or corruption, would reveal this scam to the concerned authorities and the general public.
“For this singular act of patriotism, he suffered victimization through the high-handedness of Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who subsequently removed him from office. It may interest the public to learn that our client petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in a document entitled “Letter of Complaint to threat of life, intimidation, and blackmail by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. The documents are equally accessible through the use of a Freedom of Information request. On behalf of our client, we state that he however remains not intimidated and resolute in his claims and submission that the Centenary City Project is indeed a project devised to trick the authorities into giving a huge chunk of land to only one man under the guise of a Public Private Partnership.
“Our client is resolute about his submissions and would leave no stone un-turned in his bid to bring the full details of this scam to the light of public scrutiny and to ensure that the perpetrators of this fraudulent exercise are brought to book by the relevant law-enforcement authorities.
“Indeed, we have the authority of our client to initiate legal proceedings by way of sending petitions to the appropriate authorities as regards the issue. It is this that made so laughable and ridiculous, the reports that the counsel to the Ex-SGF had initiated legal proceedings against us; we are therefore expectant and eager to receive the stated papers and to have our day in court, even as we also pursue justice and reparations for victimization in appropriate quarters.
“We hereby call on the members of the Fourth Estate and the general public to remain vigilant and to keep these burning issues on the front burner, even as we are confident in the victory of justice and equity, over crime, corruption and dishonesty,” Ajulo stated.