Amosun Fires Back at Utomi Over Alleged Deal Violation, Dismisses Claims

Former Ogun State Governor Amosun responds to Pat Utomi’s accusations of deal violation, asserting that there is no case against him.

Ibikunle Amosun, a former governor of Ogun State, has rejected allegations made by economist Pat Utomi of contract breaches and maintains that there is no basis for the claims.

During the controversy involving a Chinese firm claiming that the Ogun government violated their agreement, Utomi accused Amosun of breaking his contract while he was in office. This resulted in legal action taken against the Nigerian presidential jets which were seized by order from France.

Utomi revealed that the Chinese company wasn’t alone in being a prey to an alleged violation of contract by the previous governor’s administration. He himself went through a comparable experience during Amosun’s leadership.

However, Amosun quickly countered the economist’s arguments by branding him as an entitled individual.

He stated in a release on Sunday that the Ogun State House of Assembly had declared Utomi persona non grata and recorded their decision in the state’s blacklist before he took office.

“As governor, I was inquisitive and reached out to Utomi myself to inquire about the issue. It wasn’t because he initiated contact with me; rather, it was entirely up to my discretion. Given that someone of his stature should not experience this type of problem, due in part to his reputation as a respected figure. So naturally I wanted some clarification.”

“Among other things, he informed me that there was a contentious construction in an Ogun State property.”

Without delay, I assembled a team for evaluation and guidance. My dispatched representatives reported that the designated site in question was unsuitable due to ongoing construction activities within the car park of Ogun’s property situated on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Road in Lagos State. Therefore, my task force proposed an alternative location instead.

However, his desire was not to relocate as he claimed that the current location provided greater visibility. Following our internal analysis, my team found out that he could have only invested a maximum of N35m or N50m in its construction at the time. As a result, I resolved to visit personally at this juncture.

Furthermore, it was uncovered that the purported work completed hastily followed the recognition of another political party’s victory in the governorship election and their assumption of leadership in the state.

Additionally, it was clear that the intention behind this action was to catch my administration off guard and force us into accepting a Fait Accompli scenario. This would have sparked considerable debate surrounding the termination of an existing project.

To ensure that his investment in the state wasn’t lost, I promised to reimburse him with N100 million instead of the requested amount of N200 million. Despite persistent urging for full payment, I stood firm and did not acquiesce.

In his efforts to convince me, he utilized his organization – the Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL) – by bestowing an award upon me. Initially, I found it peculiar that after only holding my position for two years, they were recognizing me with such an honor; as a result, I declined their offer.

He urged me to attend his CVL Solution Conference Series, and I obliged. As a result of my participation, I was presented with an award. However, my stance on the reimbursement amount remained unchanged despite his insistence for N200 million compared to my request for N100 million.

After a couple of years, he began engaging in character assassination by speaking negatively about me to certain individuals. Once I found out, I contacted him and confronted his sense of entitlement which appeared to be the root cause for this behavior. He even had the audacity to ask me: “Do you have any idea who I am?” Can you believe it? My response was disinterest as I quickly realized his true nature. In my opinion, justice should apply equally regardless of one’s standings or social position.

“I urge journalists and everyone else to join me at the construction site where he alleged to have invested N200 million. We can all witness this investment firsthand and inquire about its benefits for Ogun State.”

I cannot be persuaded to compromise my integrity for the sake of appearance. I dedicated myself wholeheartedly to serving Ogun State, and I did so confidently. My every decision was made with conviction, regardless of whether or not figures like Pat Utomi shared my viewpoint.

Utomi is aware that his case lacks any valid basis. He bears a resemblance to Zhongfu International Investment FXE in this regard. It’s impossible for him to assert that he has suffered legal harm as a result of his investment. His actions can only be described as shameful mimicry or “me too” behavior.’