Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been dragged before a court in Paris, where he took the witness stand in an arbitration proceeding over a federal power contract dispute.

Peoples Gazette learnt that Mr Buhari was hauled before 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 2003.

The $6 billion project has dragged on for over 20 years, and its main anchor, Leno Adesanya, has been a target of anti-graft investigations, including claims that he bribed a former minister at the time to secure the contract. 

The Gazette was told that Mr Buhari was grilled for hours on Saturday and would continue his testimony on Sunday before the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration in Paris in case number 26260/SPN/AB/CPB.

A top administration official told The Gazette that Mr Buhari was reluctant to give testimony on the matter. Still, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi visited him at his residence in Daura last week to compel his appearance. 

“The AGF made it clear to the president that he must be in Paris,” the official said under anonymity to discuss the situation.

President Bola Tinubu approved the decision to haul his predecessor before the foreign arbitration panel, the source added. It’s rare for a Nigerian president to appear in a court case over actions he took while in office, as former executive aides are usually saddled with answering for all powers exercised on behalf of the president during their tenures. In 2017, former President Goodluck Jonathan shunned a Nigerian court subpoena to appear in a criminal trial in Abuja. 

Mr Fagbemi and two presidential spokespersons did not immediately respond to a request for comments about the administration’s decision. A spokesman for Mr Buhari could not be reached on Saturday evening. 

Mr Buhari’s government was accused of withholding about $200 million in payments previously approved for the project, which was to be launched in conjunction with a Chinese consortium. 

Court filings showed former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami communicated the decision to truncate the agreement to Mr Adesanya and Mambilla Power on April 22, 2020. 

However, when Mr Adesanya protested the action against his company, Nigerian authorities sought to arrest him and charge him with bribery and economic sabotage. He denied the allegations and proceeded to arbitration. 

Mr Adesanya was also forced to defend himself against EFCC’s decision to declare him wanted in Nigerian courts. He was charged alongside Olu Agunloye, a former power minister under Mr Obasanjo. 

Mr Adesanya said he sought to ensure sustainable power in Nigeria when he proposed constructing the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project through Sunrise Ltd as the special purpose vehicle to drive the project.