Reps to probe lawyers, others involved in P&ID case

The ghost of the recently rested Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) case has been resurrected as the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to investigate legal and other service providers involved in the case between Nigeria and the foreign firm.

Ripples Nigeria reports that following a botched gas project, P&ID had dragged Nigeria to arbitration and won an $11bn award against the country.

The Federal Government, however, appealed on the basis that the ill-fated gas processing contract was obtained through a fraudulent process.

The Commercial Courts of England and Wales, in a verdict on Monday in London, set aside the $11bn awarded against Nigeria.

Bringing up the issue at plenary on Wednesday, the lawmaker representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State, Kama Nkemkanma, brought a motion titled “Reversal of the $11bn arbitration award paid against Nigeria: Call for investigation of all legal and other services providers involved in the P &ID deal.”

Hon. Nkemkanma noted that the UK court affirmed that the award for the gas project was obtained by fraud.

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The lawmaker said: “Nigeria has been involved in a fight with P&ID since the company accused the Nigerian government of botching a deal by failing to provide gas to them leading to the ugly situation where the country suffered a $6.6bn judgment debt in 2017 when the arbitration tribunal ordered the country to pay P&ID with interest to start counting from March 2013.

“Again, we are aware that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in 2018, began investigating P&ID and found evidence of two bank transfers totalling $20,000 made by Dublin-based Industrial Consultants (International) Ltd. — part of the P&ID group of companies—to Grace Taiga, a Nigerian government lawyer, who oversaw the award of the gas plant contract, thus exposing the level of shoddiness and corruption around the entire process.”

Following its adoption, the motion was subsequently referred to the Committees on Justice and Financial Crimes for further input.

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