Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has dismissed allegations of contract violations made by economist Pat Utomi, asserting that Utomi has no legitimate case.
Utomi recently accused Amosun of breaching a contract during his time as governor, drawing a parallel with the ongoing controversy involving a Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co Ltd. The firm claimed that the Ogun State government, under Amosun’s leadership, violated a contract, which led to the seizure of some Nigerian presidential jets in France.
Utomi argued that he, too, was a victim of similar actions by Amosun’s administration. However, in a swift rebuttal, Amosun rejected Utomi’s claims, characterizing him as entitled and lacking a valid case.
Amosun, in a statement issued on Sunday, explained that before he assumed office, the Ogun State House of Assembly had declared Utomi a persona non grata and documented the decision in the state’s records. Curious about the situation, Amosun reached out to Utomi after becoming governor, despite not being approached by him first.
According to Amosun, the issue stemmed from a controversial construction project on Ogun State property located on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road in Lagos. After sending a team to assess the situation, Amosun determined that the land was unsuitable for the project, which was being built on a car park. Although his team suggested an alternative location, Utomi insisted on the original site due to its visibility.
Amosun further explained that his team estimated the cost of the work done to be between N35 million and N50 million, far less than the N200 million Utomi claimed to have invested. Amosun personally visited the site and concluded that the project was rushed, likely in anticipation of a change in government leadership.
Despite this, Amosun offered to refund N100 million as a goodwill gesture, but Utomi demanded the full N200 million. Amosun refused to comply, describing Utomi’s insistence as an “entitlement mentality.” He also recalled that Utomi attempted to sway him by involving the Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL) and offering an award, which Amosun initially declined.
Amosun challenged anyone, including journalists, to visit the construction site to assess the validity of Utomi’s claims. He emphasized that his decisions were made with the best interests of Ogun State in mind and dismissed Utomi’s allegations as an attempt to align himself with the grievances of the Chinese firm.
Amosun concluded by standing firm in his actions and decisions during his time as governor, stating that Utomi’s case “did not have any legs to stand on” and was merely an attempt to garner sympathy by associating with a larger controversy.
