The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national vice chairman, South-south, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to institute a probe into the multi-billion dollar Centenary City project.
He alleged that there were fraudulent acquisitions perpetrated by the sponsors of the project which cover over 1,500 hectares of land in the Federal Capital City, Abuja.
Dr. Ojougboh made the allegation in a petition dated July 21, 2015 and copied the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for necessary action.
He said the Centenary City project was coordinated by former secretary to the government of the federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, whom he accused of cornering 3000 acres of the land designated for the city.
He added that the land mass allocated for the Centenary City is estimated to be Maitama, Asokoro and Guzape districts put together.
But speaking to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Ojougboh exonerated former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying in spite of the fact that he approved the project, he did not endorse the alleged fraud that trailed the project as carried out by top officials of the federal government.
He said, “The former president signed the papers as were presented to him by the former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), but he was not properly briefed because of vested interests. I can defend him; he was not part of the fraud. If Jonathan had been properly briefed, he would not have approved the project not to talk of going to perform the ground breaking of the project.
“The former president thought that the Centenary City was for the good of all Nigerians because of the centenary spirit; unknown to him, it was the private project of the former SGF and his cohorts.”
“I am calling on President Buhari now to revisit the Centenary project and he will be shocked at the findings that the project was owned by private individuals but procured with government funds.”
However, responding through his media aide, Sam Nwaobasi, the former SGF, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, said he would not join issues with Ojougboh as he has already taken him to court.
