P&ID: FG delegation in London lobbies to nullify $9.6bn award

The Federal Government delegation to London on the controversial $9.6 billion judgement awarded to Irish/Virgin Island company, P&ID has engaged in high powered lobby of senior British government officials and members of the British press.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami told Tribune Online that Nigeria was keeping every option open.

The aim according to a member of the delegation is to sensitize the international community on the fraudulent nature of the contract that was designed to fail from the beginning.

ALSO READ: Reps tackle NDDC over N1trn contractors’ debt

He said the delegation, which also include Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and other senior officials of the bank; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, Solicitor General of the Federation, Mr. Dayo Akpata and others from Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC and security agencies had been meeting with Nigeria’s local and international legal teams since Saturday when they arrived in London.

He explained that the purpose of the meetings was to develop strategies targeted at setting aside the award.

Malami said the five-hour meeting of Sunday started at 6 pm and ended at 11 pm.

Also on Monday, the delegation held “series of press sensitisation engagements” with some British local and international journalists “where we elaborated on the antecedents relating to the contract and entertained questions from the media.”

A London court is expected to make a final pronouncement on the seizure of Nigeria’s assets this week but the country aside filing an appeal is expected to start a fresh action relying on evidence of fraud in the award of the contract in 2010