The order was granted following a failed contract between the company and the Ogun State Government, initiated in 2007 during Gbenga Daniel’s tenure as the state governor.
By Ola Kay
Former governor Gbenga Daniel, and lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District has advised President Bola Tinubu to explore diplomatic options towards amicable resolution of the issues surrounding the Ogun Free Trade Zone FTZ agreement.
Recall that Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company, obtained a court injunction to ground three presidential jets belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria in Europe, the firm has also planned to confiscate other assets belonging to the country in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and six other countries.
To actualize its planned actions, the Chinese firm initiated legal proceedings in eight jurisdictions around the world over the dispute. The countries include Belgium, Canada, France, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands, based on reports made available.
The order was granted following a failed contract between the company and the Ogun State Government, initiated in 2007 during Gbenga Daniel’s tenure as the state governor.
In his reaction to the development, the former Ogun State governor, through his media office, released a statement on Saturday.
Senator Daniel clarified that neither he nor his administration is involved in the ongoing court and arbitration discussions.
He pointed out that the kernel of the matter is about the termination of a management contract and not the terms or propriety of the agreement for establishing the FTZ.
In 2010, the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company entered into a contract with Zhongshan’s parent company to develop an industrial park within the free-trade zone. The agreement was terminated in the first half of 2016, leading Zhongshan to file lawsuits in Nigerian federal and state courts seeking reinstatement of its contractual rights. However, the legal proceedings were discontinued in the spring of 2018
“The judgments in all the courts are very clear on this matter. It is important to note that this is a sensitive issue involving our collective national assets and Commonwealth, which every patriotic Nigerian should be concerned about.
“As a patriotic elder statesman who had the privilege of serving Ogun State as Governor, where he initiated several developmental projects, including the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone, and as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel is committed to assisting Nigeria, through the President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in finding a diplomatic solution to the issue at hand. He will provide the Federal Government with all available records that could assist in pursuing its case at arbitration and before the courts, ” according to the statement.
Continuing, the statement noted that, “Rather than engaging in media commentary, the most reasonable course of action for Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel is to contribute to a diplomatic resolution of this matter. Engaging in public discussions may compromise the strength of Nigeria’s arguments in court. It is essential to understand that this matter is before various courts in several countries, and it is sub judice for anyone to comment on it.”
Otunba Gbenga Daniel revealed that the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone project remains operational, with numerous Nigerians working there, and several companies continuing their legitimate businesses.
He recalled that, as of his handover in 2011, around 56 companies were at various stages of operation, construction, or interest in the Free Trade Zone. These efforts have led to significant development in the previously rural Igbesa area.
The former Ogun State governor warned against misinformation and misrepresentation of facts regarding the establishment and operations of the Free Trade Zone, particularly on the social media where the matter has generated the most controversy.
He called on the media to support the Nigerian government in finding a productive solution in the nation’s best interest, arguing that this is not a time to play politics with the assets and integrity of the country.
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