Former Ogun State Governor lbikunle Amosun disclosed the reasons behind the termination of a contractual agreement with Chinese company Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited over the management of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ).

Zhongshan had secured a court order to confiscate three presidential jets in Paris, France, following the revocation of the contract between the Ogun State Government and the company to manage a free-trade zone.

The seizure came after litigations were initiated by the Chinese firm against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Ogun State Government due to the termination of the contractual agreement.

The French court order prohibits the seized aircraft’s movement, sale, or purchase.

Zhongshan later released one of the three seized Nigerian presidential jets.

Speaking on the development via a statement on Saturday, August 17, 2024, Amosun said the contractual agreement was terminated through a formal termination notice dated May 27, 2016, after it was discovered that Zhongshan had no management rights over the free-trade zone.

Amosun served as Ogun State Governor between 2011 and 2019.

He noted that after his administration assumed office in 2011, two Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE, laid claims to management rights over the OGFTZ.

The former governor said the business dispute and rivalry between the Chinese firms became fierce, grounded seamless business activities, and threatened public peace and safety within the zone and neighbouring communities.

He disclosed that there were claims and counterclaims as to who between the two companies was the lawful representative of the original joint venturer, Guangdong Province, China, and consequentially who had the right to manage the OGFTZ.

Amosun: I didn’t send policemen to assault Chinese coy officials

Amosun stated: “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 March 15, 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 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.

“It was further discovered – much later – through the intervention of the Chinese Government via Diplomatic Note 1601, dated 11 March 2016.

“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 a formal Termination Notice dated 27 May 2016.”

The Star