Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the former Governor of Ogun State, has sharply criticized Prof. Pat Utomi regarding claims that a cancelled contract led to a court order in France permitting a Chinese firm to seize Nigeria’s presidential jets.
Amosun has defended his decision to cancel the 2016 contracts, asserting that the firm’s claims were false.
Amosun recounted that before he assumed office, the Ogun State House of Assembly had passed a resolution declaring Utomi “persona non grata” and recorded it in the state’s black book. This prompted Amosun to investigate the matter further once he became governor.
READ ALSO: Gbenga Daniel pledges support to FG in legal dispute over seized jets
“So, I was curious when I became governor and called Utomi to ask what the issue was. This was entirely at my discretion and not because he reached out to me,” Amosun said.
Utomi had informed Amosun about a controversial construction project on Ogun State property, which he claimed was underway.
Amosun subsequently formed a team to verify the details. “The team I sent said the land was inappropriate because the said construction was being done in the car park of the Ogun property on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road in Lagos State. My team then suggested somewhere else,” Amosun explained.
Despite Utomi’s insistence on the visibility of the location, Amosun’s team concluded that the investment could not have exceeded N35 million to N50 million.
Upon inspecting the site, Amosun discovered that the construction was completed hastily, likely in an attempt to force a controversial situation onto the incoming administration. “It was also obvious that what was being attempted was a move at ambushing the state government under my watch and presenting us with a Fait Accompli,” he said.
To avoid wasting Utomi’s investment, Amosun agreed to a refund of N100 million, though Utomi demanded N200 million.
Amosun rejected the higher claim, even after Utomi’s Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL) sought to sway him with an award. Amosun recounted, “At first, it all looked curious that I’d just been in office for about two years, and here I was being given an award, so I rejected it.
But he insisted that I honour his CVL SOLUTION CONFERENCE SERIES with my presence, which I did, and I was given a plaque for participating. However, I did not change my position on the refund of N100 million as against his N200 million claim.”
Amosun criticized Utomi for his attempts to malign him and accused him of entitlement mentality. “He even boasted, asking me: ‘Do you know who I am?’ Imagine!” Amosun challenged anyone to visit the construction site to verify the investment and question its benefit to Ogun State. He asserted, “I stand by every decision I take, whether or not people like Pat Utomi agree with me.”
Amosun concluded by asserting that for Nigeria to improve, “one law must be applied to every Nigerian, irrespective of your status, religion, or tribe,” and urged citizens to hold leaders accountable while resisting misinformation and dubious claims.
