e-Customs project: Group urges Buhari to reverse FEC’s decisions

A group, Accountable Leadership for Better Nigeria Initiative (ALBNI) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse controversial re-approval of the concession agreement on Nigeria Customs Service Modernisation Project, also called the e-Customs project.

In a statement, yesterday, Executive Director of the group, Remi Adebayo, rejected final ratification of the memo passed, last Wednesday, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The statement reads in part: “The government officials who presided over drafting of the ‘offensive’ memo and rammed the same through FEC’s approval have done a great disservice to the legacy of President Buhari. History will bear witness, sooner than later.

“ALBNI calls on President Buhari and the Federal Government to immediately reverse the controversial re-approval of the concession agreement. Buhari must jettison extracts of the odious memo to be presented on Wednesday, April 26, at the FEC meeting.

“With a subsisting legal dispute and a valid court order, in the aftermath of the first concession to Messrs E. Customs HC Project Limited on September 2, 2020 by the FEC, any new approval, as proposed by the Minister of Finance, amounts to impunity and approval of lawlessness on the part of the government.

“ALBNI finds it curious that the Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, while addressing the press, last Wednesday, feigned ignorance of a pending court order on the matter.”

The group drew attention to similar letters by senior lawyers. It said: “Messrs Dipo Okpeseyi and Ahmed Raji, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, had, in separate letters, warned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation of underhand efforts being made to obtain FEC’s approval and or ratification of the re-award of the e-Customs Modernisation Project.”

The statement recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had, last year, restrained the Federal Government from enforcing or giving effect to an agreement on the Customs Modernisation Project. And it is on the weight of this matter that the lawyers urged FEC to suspend, discontinue or discountenance any request to initiate deliberations or a fresh request for approval for the award of the said contract to any other bidder, aside the original approval granted by FEC to Messrs e-Customs Project Limited.

In a suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/848/2022, filed by the original concessionaire, Messrs e-Customs HC Project, on February 20, 2023, Justice Inyang Ekwo asked all parties to preserve the res of the matter and do nothing to interfere with the proceedings. The case was, last Wednesday, adjourned to June 8, 2023, for hearing.