The Nigerian Government on Friday sent a representative to the United Kingdom High Court for a scheduled Case Management Conference (CMC).
The conference was held for the court to decide procedural issues relating to the government’s application to set aside the arbitral award on the basis that it was procured by fraud and corruption.
The spokesman for the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Dr Umar Gwandu, confirmed this in a statement.
According to him, the court has fixed a timetable for a hearing to decide if the Nigerian government’s application can be brought outside the normal time limits.
“This is another positive milestone in the Federation’s fight to overturn this award.
“Based on new and credible evidence discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), it is increasingly clear that P&ID’s ‘contract’ was a highly orchestrated scam, involving a cover-up by ministers at the highest levels of office in the previous administration,” the statement said.
These officials, Gwandu said, were entrusted to safeguard the future and assets of the country.
Rather, he alleged that they knowingly entered into the ‘sham GSPA’ and deliberately failed to defend Nigeria in the ensuing arbitral proceedings.
The spokesman for the office of the AGF insisted that P&ID has said nothing to rebut the allegations of fraud.
“These issues will now be before the court to consider in relation to the Federation’s challenge to this award.
“P&ID has 28 days to respond to the application for the extension of the time to challenge the arbitral award. Thereafter, the court will set a date for the hearing of the application,” the statement added.
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