No minister under me approved above N25m without my consent – Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has refuted claims that he authorized a $6 billion contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd for the Mambilla Hydropower Project in 2003. In an exclusive interview with TheCable, the former president challenged the legitimacy of the contract and emphasized the strict approval procedures in place during his leadership from 1999 to 2007.

Former President Obasanjo, in response to questions about the controversial contract, asserted that no member of his cabinet had the authority to approve expenditures exceeding N25 million without his explicit consent during his presidency. He expressed his incredulity at the notion that Olu Agunloye, then the Minister of Power and Steel, could have committed the government to a $6 billion project without his knowledge and authorization.

Obasanjo stated, “When I was president, no minister had the power to approve more than N25 million without express presidential consent. It was impossible for Agunloye to commit my government to a $6 billion project without my permission, and I did not give him any permission.”

The former president went on to express his willingness to cooperate with any commission of inquiry established to investigate the matter, asserting that he did not require personal testimony because all relevant records were readily available to substantiate his claim. He maintained that he had never approved the $6 billion contract.