*Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun says Zhongfu International Investment FXE is an impostor, noting unknown to the State Government at the time, the company merely sought to demarket China Africa Investment FXE, and to surreptitiously covert the state-owned assets of Guangdong Province, in China, as well as the ownership and management rights of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone against its business rival

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, CON, FCA, former Governor of Ogun State of Nigeria, has broken silence on the misrepresentation between the Federal Government and Zhongfu International Investment FXE, a Chinese company.

The former governor of the state between 2011 and 2019, who related what happened during his leadership of the state in a statement at the weekend, said it was a case of two different sets of Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE, that laid claims to management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ), in Ogun State.

Senator Amosun as well represented Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, FCT, first between 2003 and 2007, and from 2019 to 2023.

Entrance Gate of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone聽

He stated: 鈥淲e have read various media accounts of the above in both the print ad social media.

鈥淲e have also read and align with the very appropriate responses from Ogun State and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

鈥淎t different levels, government is a continuum and the various segments of events leading to this unfortunate situation occurred before, during, and after our administration in Ogun State.鈥�

OGFTZ: China Africa Investment FXE vs. Zhongfu International Investment FXE

The ex-governor noted that his administration assumed office 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).

According to him, 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 neighbouring communities.

鈥淭here were claims and counter-claims as to who between the two was the lawful representative of the original joint venturer, Guangdong Province, China and consequentially, who had the right to manage the Zone.

鈥淶hongfu 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,鈥� stated he.

He equally explained based on the information at the disposal of the Ogun State Government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE was on 15/03/2012 appointed as Interim Zone Manager pending further evaluation.

Amosun said: 鈥淭he 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.

Zhongfu International Investment FXE deceitful over business rival, says Amosun

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

鈥淯nknown to the Ogun Government 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.鈥�

The former Governor of Ogun State further stated that the state government also discovered the truth in all of this, though much later through the intervention of the Chinese Government via Diplomatic Note 1601, dated 11 March, 2016.

He said: 鈥淭he 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.

鈥淎fter due consultation with the relevant organs of Government, we gave effect to the request of the Chinese Government.鈥�

Amosun as well recalled, 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.

鈥淲e also consulted with and took advice from the State Security Services and the supervising Agency, NEPZA, on the best way to proceed.

鈥淎ccordingly, we served Zhongfu International Investment FXE with formal Termination Notice dated 27 May, 2016.

鈥淔or completeness of records, we must mention that Zhongfu International Investment FXE proceeded to Court,鈥� he noted.

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.

He disclosed the final judgement in one other case, Suit No AB/04/2017: Zenith Global Merchant International Investment Limited 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.

Amosun, however, stated not being 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, Honourable Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment; Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Inspector-General of Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the National Assembly (both the Senate and the House of Representatives) among others.

He said: 鈥淲e 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.

鈥淚n conclusion, without prejudice to the ongoing efforts of the Ogun State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria, and with all sense of responsibility I wish to categorically state that:

鈥淭he agreement that was entered into at inception of the Zone in 2007 with our predecessor is what is still in operation and there was no need for any negotiation or re-negotiation of any contract when we came in and throughout our eight (8) years tenure.鈥�

The ex-governor noted: 鈥淚t is also not true that our administration sent police or any security agent to harass, intimidate, or beat anyone.

鈥淚f there was any such situation, it must have been from among the disputing rivals in the bid to outdo one another.聽 Security agencies can further investigate the allegation and uphold the truth.鈥�

Why Nigeria should treat Zhongfu International Investment FXE鈥檚 matter like P&ID case

Meanwhile, Senator Amosun has cautioned the Federal Government, stating that 鈥淣igeria should not give Zhongfu International Investment FXE any listening ear as doing so would amount to indulging and, encouraging an unlawful entity without locus standi to appropriate our common patrimony.鈥�

鈥淪temming from the above, this matter of Zhongfu International Investment FXE should be treated the way Nigeria treated the P&ID case.聽 There is no basis for negotiation.鈥�

He equally assured the West African country, that 鈥淚 am ready to work with the agencies of government in any capacity to ensure that Nigeria is not scammed by Zhongfu International Investment FXE, or any other entity.

鈥淟ike every Nigerian, we are concerned that a purely business dispute between two Chinese nationals and corporations have now degenerated into an unlawful attempt to appropriate Nigeria鈥檚 sovereign assets.

鈥淭his is unacceptable to all people of goodwill and must not be allowed to stand.鈥�

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