Former Minister of Power, Chief Liyel Imoke, told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, November 2, 2026, that he had no knowledge of whether the May 21, 2003 Federal Executive Council (FEC) minutes were ever formally vetted and adopted.
“I have no knowledge of this,” he said under cross-examination in the Mambilla power project trial.
The minutes, tendered by the EFCC as Exhibit EFCC 3K, are central to the prosecution’s case.
Imoke had earlier testified that he examined them in August 2003 before declaring the Build-Operate-Transfer contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company under his predecessor, Dr Olu Agunloye, “null and void.”
He said he wrote to the company on September 3, 2003, communicating that position.
Imoke explained that FEC minutes are circulated at the next meeting for corrections, and must be moved and seconded for adoption before becoming official.
He conceded that May 21 was the last meeting of the 1999–2003 council, with the next held in August 2003 under the new 2003–2007 council. Asked which council adopted the minutes, he said he did not know.
Prosecution counsel Abba Muhammed, objected to repetitive questioning, and Justice Jude Onwugbuezie initially agreed.
Defence counsel Adeola Adedipe, insisted the authenticity of the exhibit was central to the allegations against Agunloye, and the judge allowed him to rephrase. Imoke then said: “I cannot recollect, I have to check the records.”
Despite an initial prosecution objection, the judge handed the court records to the witness, and proceedings were stood down for about 45 minutes.
On resumption, Muhammed sought an adjournment, saying Imoke needed more time to study the documents outside court. The case was adjourned until November 19, 2026.
