FEC Did Not Approve $6 Billion Mambilla Project Contract — Imoke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says a former Minister of Power and Steel, Liyel Imoke, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not approve a memo recommending the award of the $6 billion Mambilla Hydro Power Project contract to Sunrise Power & Transmission Company Limited.

Imoke, the sixth prosecution witness in the trial of former minister Olu Agunloye, made the disclosure on Monday, October 19, 2026, while testifying before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie at the court sitting in Apo, Abuja.

Agunloye is facing an amended seven-count charge bordering on official corruption and the alleged fraudulent award of the Mambilla power project contract to Sunrise Power & Transmission Company Limited while serving as Minister of Power and Steel between 2002 and 2003.

According to a statement posted on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s X handle, Imoke, who served as minister from August 2003 to November 2006, testified that he was invited by the commission in 2023 over a letter he wrote to Sunrise on September 3, 2003.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, the witness told the court that the letter was written in response to an enquiry from Sunrise concerning payment for the project.

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Imoke said he reviewed the relevant file and found records of the FEC’s deliberations on the contract memo submitted by Agunloye.

“I informed them that the Federal Executive Council did not approve the memo that was presented by the defendant recommending the award of contract for the construction of the Mambilla Hydro Electric Power Project to Sunrise,” he said, according to the EFCC statement.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the letter, Imoke told the court: “My lord, I wrote the letter in response to the letter of enquiry from Sunrise requesting for payment in respect of the contract of Mambilla Hydro Power Project contract which was purportedly awarded to Sunrise by the former minister, the defendant.”

He said the FEC minutes showed that the council directed Agunloye to withdraw his memo and seek additional proposals to enable constructive negotiations and consideration of other investment options.

“When I received the letter, I requested for the file and while reviewing the file, I saw the extract of the minutes from the FEC meeting amongst other documents,” Imoke said.

“I read the deliberations and the directives of FEC to the then Minister of Power and Steel, (the defendant) which stated that the memo of the defendant be withdrawn and directed the Minister to invite more proposals with a view to ensuring constructive negotiations and to explore various investment options,” he added.

The witness said the FEC directives informed his response to Sunrise’s enquiry and payment request.

“It was on that basis that I responded to the letter of enquiry and request for payment by Sunrise….. Thereafter I was asked to make a written statement to the EFCC after which I left,” he said.

During the proceedings, Imoke identified his statement to the EFCC, made on May 24, 2023, and admitted that he made it. He also confirmed that he wrote and signed the September 3, 2003 letter addressed to Sunrise, which was tendered before the court.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, Imoke was asked why he did not cancel the contract after discovering that it had allegedly been awarded without FEC approval.

The witness responded that there was no need to cancel a contract that had not received the council’s approval.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until November 2, 4, 9 and 11, 2026, for continuation of trial.