A professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has alleged that a prominent indigene of Ogun State committed suicide over cancellation of a contract under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
Utomi also narrated how he suffered to pay back millions of naira in loans after Amosun allegedly cancelled a contract he (Utomi) had with the Ogun State government.
Utomi was reacting to Amosun’s statement on the controversial Arbitration and legal matters between a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co Lt, and the Federal Government of Nigeria/Ogun State Government on the termination of the contract at the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone.
The contract was initiated when Gbenga Daniel was the Governor of the State in 2007, but terminated under Amosun’s watch in 2016.
Tweeting on his X handle, Utomi tackled Amosun for cancelling his contract with the government the way he did with the Chinese firm.
He wrote: “So it was Gov Amosun’s violation of contract terms signed by his predecessor that brought the shame of seizure of jets from the Presidential fleet. I hope he is happy at his achievement.
“The whole matter is Khama at work. The Chinese were not the only victims. One prominent Ogun indigene allegedly committed suicide with similar Amosun action. I too was a victim.
“I had leased OPIC land in Lagos in a BOT agreement under Gov Daniel. Amosun stopped all such on being sworn in. I called him. He said he did not see my name on the list.
“I went to Abeokuta and he called in Yewande Amusan who said mine was a straight forward deal they did not include it. He asked that all be included but mine be quickly sorted. That began a rigmarole that went on for years.
“I made another trip to Abeokuta. He drove me back to Lagos at the wheels with my driver trailing along with the escorts and sirens. He had earlier asked that I make a request for refund of what I paid even though my South African partners and I had invested 200m in addition to the lease amount at the time. With just two of us in the car he advised I make a claim for N100m and write for additional payments the day after I cash the cheque.
“It was surreal but if I got nothing more it would be better than being in court until we both retire. I took the case to APC leader BAT and Baba Akande. No result. Took it to Dapo Abiodun when he took over. Nothing came of it.
“If this happened to Frieda I wondered what enemies were going through. I lost my weary SA partners who owned a successful regional chain across Southern Africa and Asia. I licked my wounds and slaved to pay off the loans. The Chinese had better leverage. They took it and all are shamed.
“My new book Power Policy Politics and Performance documents a similar case study in Enugu involving SA investors as the gubernatorial batons changed hands. When shall we learn. Values shape human progress.”