Presidential Jet Seizure: Zhongfu Firm Is An Impostor -Former Ogun Governor, Ibikunle Amosun Speaks Up, Says FG Should Treat The Chinese Firm's Action With Severity of P&ID Case

A new twist of insights into the ongoing case of seizure of Nigerian Presidential jets by a Chinese firm has emerged as a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian project and a former Governor of Ogun state,Senator Ibikunle Amosun has spoken up, describing Zhongfu firm as an Impostor that lacks the locus standi to fleece Nigeria of our common patrimony or sovereign assets.

In a statement released by the former Governor of Ogun State who spoke from a position of experiential authority sighted by OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News over the weekend has shed light on the controversy surrounding the seizure of presidential jets.

Amosun revealed that Zhongfu International Investment FXE, a Chinese company, is an impostor attempting to hijack the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) from its rightful owners.

According to Amosun, the dispute began in 2011 when two Chinese companies, Zhongfu and China Africa Investment FXE, laid claims to management rights over the OGFTZ. Zhongfu presented false information to the government, leading to its appointment as Interim Zone Manager in 2012.

However, subsequent investigations and diplomatic intervention from the Chinese government revealed Zhongfu’s deceit.

Amosun revealed that his administration terminated Zhongfu’s appointment in 2016, following court losses and consultations with relevant authorities.

He further revealed that despite this, Zhongfu continued to petition higher authorities, including the Presidency and National Assembly.

Amosun emphasized that his administration, did not, at any point in time, renegotiate any contracts neither did it harass individuals,staff or members of the firm contrary to Zhongfu’s claims. 

The former Ogun Central Senator therefore urged the Nigerian government to treat Zhongfu’s attempts to appropriate sovereign assets of the country with the same severity as the P&ID case, stating, “There is no basis for negotiation.”

The former Governor reassured Nigeria and Nigerians of his commitment to offering his cooperation with government agencies to prevent Nigeria from being scammed by Zhongfu or any other entity, stressing that the matter is a purely business dispute between two Chinese nationals that has degenerated into an unlawful attempt to appropriate Nigeria’s assets.

The official statement released by Senator Ibikunle Amosun reads:

PRESIDENTIAL JETS SEIZURE:

ZHONGFU FIRM IS AN IMPOSTOR, IT’S CHINESE AGAINST CHINESE DISPUTE

We have read various media accounts of the above in both the print and social media. We have also read and align with the very appropriate responses from Ogun State and the Federal Government. At different levels, Government is a continuum and the various segments of events leading to this unfortunate situation occurred before, during and after our administration.

Our administration assumed office on 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). 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.

There 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.

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 the government at the time, Zhongfu International Investment FXE was on 15/03/2012 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 Goverment 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 the 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 formal Termination Notice dated 27 May, 2016.

For completeness of records, we must mention that Zhongfu International Investment FXE proceeded to Court.

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.

The final judgement in one other case, Suit No AB/04/2017: Zenith Global Merchant International Investment Ltd 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.

Not 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, Hon Minister of Trade & Investment; Attorney General & Minister of Justice, Inspector General of Police, EFCC and the National Assembly (both the House of Representatives and the Senate) among others.

We 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.

In 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:

The 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.

It is also not true that our administration sent police or any security agent to harass, intimidate, or beat anyone. If there was any such situation, it must have been from among the disputing rivals in the bid to outdo one another. Security agencies can further investigate the allegation and uphold the truth.

Nigeria 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.

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

I 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.

Like 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’s sovereign assets.

This is unacceptable to all people of goodwill and must not be allowed to stand.

Senator lbikunle Amosun CON, FCA

Governor, Ogun State (2011-2019)

Senator, Ogun Central Senatorial District, (2003-2007 and 2019-2023)