Headlines
Chinese Firm Seizes Another Nigeria’s Luxury Jet in Canada
Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd, the Chinese firm involved in legal dispute with Nigeria over contract breach by Ogun State government, has dealt another devastating blow to Nigeria, by confiscating a luxury jet worth $57 million belonging to the country in Canada.
This recent international embarrassment is coming after it also concluded plans to list two residential structures in United Kingdom it seized from the country for sale on global online marketplace eBay on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft, valued at $57 million, was repossessed by Canadian authorities in Montreal, following a court judgment in favour of Chinese investors.
A source familiar with the development revealed, that the change of custodian paperwork was concluded recently, months after a Canadian court granted orders for Zhongshang to takeover the jet.
“The court granted orders for Zhongshang to seize the plane earlier this year, but the change of custody from Nigeria to Zhongshang was only recently concluded,” the source said.
Zhongshang Fucheng has vowed to continue seizing Nigeria’s assets globally until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid.
“Zhongshang will not stop seizing Nigeria’s assets worldwide until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid,” the source added.
Original Owner Of Luxury Jet Seized In Canada:
The luxury jet was originally purchased by Chief Dan Etete, a former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum under the regime of late General Sani Abacha, who made over $350 million from the corrupt sale of OPL 245 oil field in 2010.
Nigerian government seized the aircraft from Etete in 2016 and held it in Dubai before it was flown to Canada in 2020, where Nigeria quickly obtained a court order for seizure and held it at the main airport in Montreal.
Zhongshang moved to seize the jet in 2023, as part of its efforts to enforce arbitration awards of over $70 million against Nigeria.
Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec ruled in favour of Zhongshang, rejecting Nigeria’s arguments and sovereign immunity claim as the recent arbitration in the UK has held.
This development is the latest in a series of seizures of Nigeria’s assets by Zhongshang in various countries, including the UK, France, and Canada.
Source: NewsBand
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
