News
Again, Chinese investors impound another Nigerian jet in Canada
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Chinese firm on a confiscation blitz of Nigerian assets has finalised repossession of a luxury jet owned by the West African country in Canada.
Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd recently received a change of custodian paperwork for the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft from Canadian authorities in Montreal, The Gazette heard from sources familiar, months after a Canadian court issued a judgement that empowered Zhongchang to seize the jet from Nigeria.
“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,” a person familiar with Zhongshang’s activities said anonymously to discuss the matter. “Zhongshang will not stop seizing Nigeria’s assets worldwide until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid.”
Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec had on March 21, 2024, quashed Nigeria’s arguments to keep ownership of the aircraft, which records showed was purchased for $57 million by fugitive Dan Etete as part of his spending binge shortly after netting over $350 million windfall from the lucrative but corrupt sale of OPL 245 oil field in 2010.
Nigeria first seized the aircraft, with tail number M-MYNA and serial number 9471, from Mr Etete in 2016 and trapped it in Dubai. Flight tracking websites showed it was then flown suddenly to Canada on May 29, 2020, where Nigeria quickly obtained a court order for seizure and held it at the main airport in Montreal. A Canadian firm, Tibit, sought to claim ownership, but Canadian courts allowed Nigeria to remain in charge of the aircraft.
In 2023, Zhongshang moved to seize the jet, which could accommodate up to 19 people, while pursuing enforcement of its arbitration awards of over $70 million against Nigeria.
Judge Collier said Nigeria failed to enter a dispute against the aircraft’s seizure by Zhongshang, declaring the country’s argument that it could not respond to the lawsuit for nine months over the February-March 2023 general elections was frivolous and unacceptable.
The judge also rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity claim along the lines already itemised by the arbitration panel and courts in the United Kingdom. An appellate court in the United States also recently ruled that Nigeria cannot claim sovereign immunity from Zhongshang’s recovery of its arbitration judgment.
With the Bombardier luxury aircraft now in its possession, Zhongshang has successfully seized Nigeria’s assets in the UK, France and Canada, where the country’s guest houses, presidential jets and the Etete jet have been confiscated, respectively – with potentially more seizures expected in Belgium and the U.S. in the coming weeks.
Although Nigeria has lost all its challenges against the Chinese investors in at least five countries, it has nonetheless maintained no wrongdoing in the lawsuits, which stemmed from a botched free trade zone contract in Ogun State.
Nigeria and Ogun State have disclosed ongoing efforts to resolve the matter with Zhongshang, although no headway has been recorded since the parties first met in London from September 27-29, 2023. A spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu did not immediately return a request seeking comments on the latest development. (Text, excluding headline: Peoples Gazette)
The Osun State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has received thousands of decampees from the All Progressives Congress and other political parties into its fold.
The decampees, who are mostly from the Omisore Youth Support Forum (OYSF) joined the party at a ceremony held at party secretariat in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, on Wednesday.
The were received by the Chairman of the PDP in Osun, Hon. Sunday Bisi, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuff and other party leader.
While receiving the decampees, Bisi renamed the group as Adeleke Youth Support Forum (AYSF) as they declared their support for Adeleke’s 2026 re-election bid.
One of the leaders of the decampees, Mr Francis Fasogbon said they were “inspired by the good governance delivered by Governor Ademola Adeleke”.
Hon. Dennis Agbo, representing Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency in the 10th House of Representatives, has resigned from the Labour Party (LP) and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing aa gathering in his ward, Ezzodo, Agbo cited his admiration for Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mba’s performance, as the reason for his decision.
“I acknowledge Governor Mba’s outstanding work, and I believe it’s essential to support him,” Agbo said. “As a federal legislator from Enugu State, I’m joining hands with him to provide a link between the state and federal government, promoting the good work he’s doing to uplift our state.”
Agbo, who was elected on the LP ticket, expressed his desire to work with Governor Mba, citing the governor’s vision and achievements since his inauguration in 2023.
He also emphasized that the internal crisis and division within the Labour Party was part of the factors influencing his decision to leave the party and return to PDP.
The lawmaker invited his supporters and members of Labour Party to a formal ceremony marking his transition to PDP, scheduled for May 1, 2025, at the PDP State Secretariat in Enugu.
Governor Alex Otti says he is not bothered about the noise coming from members of the opposition parties in Abia State.
Otti said his critics should not be taken serious as they are not coming out to contest elections but to seek negotiations and relevance.
Governor Otti stated this while receiving the member representing Bende North constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Nnamdi Ibekwe who recently dumped the PDP and joined the Labour Party, LP in Abia State.
“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up for elections.
Sometimes, they just want recognition; that their names showed up for the primaries, knowing fully well that they will not win the election.
“Some of them also come for negotiations and then of course, some others also show up for projections; they look at themselves and say, ‘if I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040, they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognize me’, so they are projecting themselves,” Gov. Otti explained.
Governor Otti said he is rather focused on doing the job the people elected him to do and respond to the noise of the opposition across the State.
He congratulated Nnamdi Ibekwe for dumping the PDP for LP, explaining that nobody pressured him to come over to the LP, reiterating that he does not emphasize much on political platforms.
Earlier while presenting himself to the Governor, the member representing Bende North constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party by the achievements of Governor Alex Otti which he described as unprecedented.
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