‘Show Him Latest On Fuel Hike’, Twitter Users Taunt As ‘Tunde’ Breaks News Of Latest Judgment On P&ID To Buhari

Nigerians on Twitter on Saturday mocked President Muhammadu Buhari as Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf, the President’s influential Personal Assistant and favourite nephew, broke the news of the latest court judgement on P&ID to the President.

Many twitter users are shocked that President Buhari was just having knowledge of the P&ID news, and wondered if he was also aware of the fuel pump hike which has drawn wide range reactions from Nigerians.

It would be recalled that a United Kingdom court had on Thursday granted Nigeria’s application for an extension of time and relief from sanctions in the much-publicised $10 billion arbitration fine awarded to Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID).

BIGPEN reports that the news came a day, after Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), had announced a new price regime which increased the premium motor spirit price to N151.56 per litre.

The fuel hike news which has been a trending topic was contained in a internal memo from Ibadan depot to all stakeholders with reference number PPMC/IB/LS/020 dated September 2, 2020 and signed by D.O Abalaka.

The memo reads, “Please be informed that a new product price adjustment has been effected on our payment platform.

“To this end, the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is now one hundred and fifty-one naira, fifty-six kobo (N151.56k) per litre.

This takes effect from September 2, 2020″, the statement reads.

Following backlashes and reported nationwide increment of pump price by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) which had directed its members to begin sales of fuel at N162 per litre at filling stations, the PPMC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, would later readjust the ex-depot price of petrol from N138.62 to N147.67.

However, while Nigerians were still debating over the new fuel hike regime and its attendant effect on the masses, Ross Cranston, a judge of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, on Thursday of same week, granted Nigeria permission to proceed with its challenge to the $10 billion arbitral award made against it over three years ago. 

Buhari’s aide, ‘Tunde’ reportedly broke the news to Mr. President on Friday, a day after, according to twitter post by the Presidency @NGRPresident.

“Special Assistant to the President, Sabi’u Tunde, breaks the news of the latest court judgement on the P&ID case to President @Mbuhari at the State House on Friday Sept 4, 2020″.

But the tweet have drawn series of mixed reactions with some twitter users alluding that President Buhari has lost touch of what is happening around his government.

Some wondered if he was aware of the latest hike in the price of petroleum products in the country.

One twitter user wondered whether a computer set at the President’s office was ever switched on.

One pointed out that the President look perplexed as he was being showed the news from an Ipad tablet.

Meanwhile, celebrating the ruling, the Nigerian Government in a dedicated website designed for the P&ID case, said the Court has allowed the FRN to bring this challenge well outside the normal time limits due to the exceptional circumstances where the FRN has uncovered evidence of a massive fraud in procuring the award. 

“The Court heard evidence from the FRN and the offshore shell company P&ID in relation to the gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) which the parties entered into 10 years ago and which was never performed. 

“The Buhari Administration, having inherited this dispute from the previous administration, only recently uncovered evidence that the GSPA was a sham commercial deal designed to fail from the start, and that its subsequent arbitral award was based on fraud and corruption.  

“The FRN relied on a number of ongoing investigations across multiple jurisdictions, including the US, to build its case. During the hearing, new evidence was presented to further support the FRN’s challenge.

“The Judge, Sir Ross Cranston, found that: “Nigeria has established a strong prima facie case that the GSPA was procured by bribes paid to insiders as part of a larger scheme to defraud Nigeria.

“There is also a strong prima facie case that P&ID’s main witness in the arbitration, Mr Quinn, gave perjured evidence to the Tribunal and that, contrary to that evidence, P&ID was not in the position to perform the contract.

“As to the Jurisdiction and Liability stages of the arbitration, there is a prima facie case that they were tainted by the conduct of Nigeria’s advocate, Mr Shasore. …

“It seems to me that Nigeria has made a good case that, at the time it took part or continued to take part in the arbitration, it did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have discovered the grounds it now advances.”

“This is a significant win for the FRN as well as the court systems, Cranston stated: “Not only is the integrity of the arbitration system threatened, but that of the court as well, since to enforce an award in such circumstances would implicate it in the fraudulent scheme.”

“The FRN will now proceed to a full trial of the issues where the FRN’s substantive application to finally set aside the award will be heard”.  

The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, was quoted to have also said, “The Federal Republic of Nigeria is pleased with the outcome from the High Court hearing today. This is a major victory in our ongoing fight against the vulture-fund-backed P&ID, to overturn the injustice of the multibillion dollar arbitral award.

“In light of the new and substantive evidence presented regarding P&ID’s fraudulent and corrupt activities, the Court has granted our application for an extension of time to hear our challenge out of normal time limits.

“We will now proceed to a full hearing of our fraud challenge in the coming months.

“Investigations into the GSPA are ongoing, and we are firmly committed to overturning the award – no matter how long it takes – to ensure that this money goes towards Nigeria’s future, not into the pockets of millionaires trying to exploit our country.”