MPH Rail Development Ltd., a United Kingdom-based private company with no history of rail construction and owned by Adeyemi Sabitun Ikuforiji, is on the verge of securing a rail construction contract from the federal government.

Ikuforiji was the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly from 2005 to 2015. His legislative leadership partly coincided with the last two years of Bola Tinubu as Lagos governor, 1999 to 2007.

He co-owns the company with Gbadamosi Mudashiru Oriyomi, Jason Andrew, Osinowo Dacosta Rotimi, Osinowo Olubode Sayeed and Smith David Neil, according to the UK’s Companies House. Apart from Andrew, Rotimi and Neil with UK addresses, others used their Lagos addresses on the company’s profile.

On Friday, Said Ahmed Alkali, the minister of transportation, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company to enable it to “carry out the design, construction, commissioning, operation and transfer of the Port-Harcourt–Enugu–Calabar–Abuja Standard Gauge Rail Line on Public–Private Partnership basis”.

The execution of the MoU is a prelude to the final award of the contract that may run into billions of naira by the Federal Executive Council, constitutionally chaired by the president.

“This development will enable the company to concentrate on preparing relevant documents to support a request for approval of the Federal Executive Council to execute the project,” the March 13 statement, signed by Olujimi Oyetomi, the director, press and public relations at the ministry, read in part.

MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY
Andrew registered the company in 2019 as Mordecai JB Ltd., with him as the only director

On December 12, 2020, Neil was appointed as a director and a person with significant control at the company. On February 16, 2021, the company’s name was changed to MPH Rail Development Ltd.

With evidence of dormancy and a compulsory strike-off notice by the authorities, the company first co-opted Ikuforiji and Rotimi as directors on October 30, 2023, in an approach that shows its entry into Nigeria.

The company further brought Sayeed and Oriyomi on board as directors on January 16. This increased its Nigerian ownership. However, there is no evidence of its previous project handling in Nigeria or in the UK.

IKUFORIJI’S ONGOING MONEY LAUNDERING TRIAL
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) believes Ikuforiji used his former position for conspiracy and money laundering alongside Oyebode Atoyebi, who was his aide.

The EFCC has been prosecuting them in court since 2012 on a 54-count charge on conspiracy and money laundering amounting to N338.8 million.

They allegedly obtained N4.5 million to renovate the speaker’s residence, N1.5 million for the speaker’s guest house and N13.5 million for honorarium for six months in a row.

Both suspects have denied the allegations, with Ikuforiji describing his trial as political. He claimed the foundation of his trial was a petition by an unknown person accusing him of stealing public funds to the tune of N7 billion from the legislature.

Before now, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Lagos Federal High Court pronounced that the anti-corruption office had no case against them. The EFCC, however, appealed the judgement and the appellate court ordered a retrial in 2016.

Now before Justice Mohammed Liman, the trial has been stalled several times. A letter by the defence team seeking an adjournment stalled the hearing on November 20, 2023.

https://fij.ng/article/without-obvious-rail-construction-history-lagos-ex-speakers-company-about-to-get-multi-billion-naira-port-harcourt-abuja-standard-gauge-rail-contract/

Previous Thread:
https://www.nairaland.com/8031255/fg-uk-firm-sign-mou#128945801

Nigerians we are in trouble

Tinubu is like a perverted version of DJ Khaled; ANOTHER ONE!

First it was Wale Edun, Now it's Ikufonji.

Tinubu and his Renewed HOLE in the Nigerian Treasury will bankrupt us before 2027.

Wahala the rail line go be trial version be dat

Paddy paddy, arrangee government of corruption.

My dear, COMRADES are speechless with apc

Nlfpmod

Racoon:
Paddy paddy, arrangee government of corruption.

african china classic songs came to mind


I chop you chop government, tinubu will be worse than buhari

His nephew Wale Tinubu also recently benefited from the acquisition of a very lucrative oil field.
The oil field was auctioned to a European energy company called E.N.I, but Buhari’s government sued them because the acquisition of the oil field by E.N.I was fraudulent.

Tinubu made sure that ownership of the oil field was transferred to his nephew Wale Tinubu’s company Oando Oil Ltd, then he withdrew Nigeria's case against E.N.I from court.

Namaster:
Tinubu is like a perverted version of DJ Khaled; ANOTHER ONE!

First it was Wale Edun, Now it's Ikufonji.

Tinubu and his Renewed HOLE in the Nigerian Treasury will bankrupt us before 2027.

We don enter one chance without a seat

The cronyism killing Nigeria.

Talent hunters on the beat

Renewed looting. Share am to your friends and cronies. Useless party and useless politicians that mean no well for the country and the people. It’s a shame many people still believe there are saviors amongst these present crop of politicians that have destroyed this country for decades.

Nothing concern me but E dey mind

The harsh reality of Nigerian politics. Turn by turn chopping. For eight years Buhari and co ate, now Tinubu and co are eating.

What this means is that a competent company will be sub-contracted to do a cheap work(usually a poor one) while the suite case company featured in this news inserts a hefty profit for themselves. The result is either delayed or extremely poor job.

Some people will still defend APC and tinubu . The MOU will be used to obtain huge loans and the project will never get done.

Na wa

Tinubu and corruption are Siamese twins

Hmmm

I will keep saying it

"Billions go missing everyday in Nigeria"

I remember something like dis happen during OBJ regime in terms of electricity
Whc involved $billions contract,till now nobody knws
Rather na we dey help dem explain how dey used the money

Shame, shame.

I honestly am just angry at this point.

ednut1:
Some people will still defend APC and tinubu . The MOU will be used to obtain huge loans and the project will never get done.

Bros.. I voted for Jagaban..

But Baba has been messin up seriously...

We cant run away from reality on ground...

Where are the CNG buses Tinubu promised ?

Is Port Harcourt refinery now operational ?

Where is the new national living wage promised by Tinubu?

This is how the East lacked Federal projects.Other states have gotten rail,the the one that connects to the east enters the hands of an Efcc candidate.The other time,a hospital project for Anambra ended in Gbajas constituency.

This Renewed hope govt ehnnn

The yorubas killed this country.

U no here d name say na YORUBA

Based on EMI LOKAN

Their 30k/month keyboard warriors will soon flood this thread and turn the discussion upside down to whitewash their Abuja paymasters...

Because of this current hardship, I've had to refrain from commenting on National issues. I've even started adding Tinubu in my daily prayers, silently hoping he succeeds by doing the right thing - so Nigerians can find succour and find things easy again.

But with the kind of news we wake up to about this fraudulent Emilokan's administration, its clear that they're not interested in doing the right thing.

Corruption, padded budget, nepotism, barbarism, empty promises, trial and error policies and decisions... you just know he appointed dunderheads who are only interested in their pockets, not nation building.

Just look at the Senate, look at the Judiciary, the armed forces, corruption allegations against customs bosses, actions and inactions of the Police, nothing's working right.

Look at inflation and other economic indices, the propaganda and lies, what are these people doing in Abuja?

How can anyone be worse than Buhari? Didn't 8 years of Buhari's failure teach Nigerians anything?

God save our soul!

Mou who will
Fund the project ?