Abia Govt Fires Back at Enyimba Economic City Promoters Over 'Misleading' Arbitral Award Claims | READ DETAILS

The Abia State Government has strongly refuted what it described as misleading claims circulating in the media regarding the arbitral ruling on the Enyimba Economic City Project, insisting that the decision of the tribunal has been misrepresented by promoters of the project.

In a detailed press statement issued by the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the state government said recent publications titled "Both Majority and Dissenting Rulings Declared Abia State Cannot Withdraw Our Certificate of OccupancyÔÇØ contain material inaccuracies that distort the actual findings of the Arbitral Tribunal.

According to the government, the said report attempts to create the false impression that the tribunal ruled entirely in favour of the promoters of the Enyimba Economic City project and that the Abia State Government acted unlawfully in the dispute.

The Ministry of Justice maintained that such interpretation does not reflect the true legal position contained in the Majority Award delivered by the Arbitral Tribunal on February 13, 2026, which remains the binding decision of the panel.

The Abia State Government stressed that the legally enforceable decision of the tribunal is the Majority Award, warning that attempts to elevate the dissenting opinion of a minority arbitrator to the same legal standing are misleading and contrary to established arbitral jurisprudence.

The statement explained that while dissenting opinions are permitted within arbitration proceedings, they do not carry binding legal effect and cannot override the ruling of the majority of the tribunal.

"The publication attempts to elevate the dissenting opinion of a minority member of the Tribunal to the same legal status as the Majority Award. This is incorrect,ÔÇØ the government stated.

According to the Justice Ministry, the legally binding determination of the tribunal must be understood strictly within the framework of the majority decision, rather than through selective interpretation.

One of the most significant aspects of the arbitral ruling, the government said, was conspicuously omitted from the public narrative promoted by the project promoters.

According to the state government, the tribunal ordered the refund of 400 million earlier paid by the Abia State Government in connection with the share capital structure of the project company.

The tribunal reportedly based the order on a legal doctrine described as the "Resulting Trust Theory,ÔÇØ which recognized that the funds remained beneficially attributable to the Abia State Government and must therefore be returned.

The Justice Ministry said the omission of this critical component of the ruling, while emphasizing selective aspects favourable to the promoters, amounts to a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the tribunal's decision.

The government also faulted claims that the tribunal categorically ruled that Abia State lacks the authority to withdraw the Certificate of Occupancy relating to the project land.

According to the Attorney-General's office, such assertions represent an exaggerated interpretation of the tribunal's findings.

The government explained that the tribunal's analysis was limited strictly to the contractual framework presented before it during arbitration proceedings, and therefore cannot be interpreted as a blanket restriction on the statutory powers of the Abia State Government.

The Abia State Government reaffirmed that the Majority Award remains the operative decision of the tribunal and should be interpreted within its proper legal context rather than through partial disclosure.

"The attempt to distort the true import of the Award through selective quotation and misleading commentary is unacceptable,ÔÇØ the statement noted.

The government emphasized its commitment to transparent engagement with stakeholders while ensuring that public discussions about the Enyimba Economic City dispute are based on verified facts and respect for the official record of the tribunal.

The Enyimba Economic City Project, conceived as a major industrial and economic hub in Abia State, has remained the subject of legal and contractual disputes between the government and project promoters in recent years.

With the latest rebuttal from the state government, observers say the issue could further shape the future direction of the high-profile development project and the legal relationship between the parties involved.