In a notice sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oando Plc has debunked reports in print and digital news media purporting that the International London Court of Arbitration has ordered the company or Wale Tinubu to pay $680million to Gabriel Volpi, following an investment dispute between Whitmore Asset ManagementLimited, jointly owned by Adewale Tinubu and Omamofe Boyo and Ansbury Investment Inc. owned by Gabriel Volpi.
According to the firm:
- Oando PLC (“the Company” or “Oando”) is not a party to the arbitration;
The London Court of International Arbitration did not order Oando PLC to pay any sum of money to Ansbury Investments Inc.
Oando PLC is not in any way indebted to Ansbury Investments Inc.
We understand that the parties involved in the arbitration are Whitmore Asset Management Limited (a company beneficially owned by Jubril Adewale Tinubu and Omamofe Boyo) and Ansbury Investments Inc. (a company beneficially owned by Gabrielle Volpi). We confirm that neither party is a shareholder in Oando PLC.
We are informed that the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) on July 6, 2018, ruled that Whitmore Limited should pay Ansbury Inc. the sum of $80m. The LCIA also ordered Ocean and Oil Development Partners OODP BVI (OODP BVI), a joint venture company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands by Ansbury Inc. and Whitmore Limited, to pay Ansbury Inc. the sum of $600m.
OODP BVI are in turn 99% shareholders in Ocean and Oil Development Partners Nigeria (OODP Nigeria) the majority shareholder in Oando PLC by way of 57.37% stake in the Company.
The stories also make mention of the petition that Ansbury Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about mismanagement of Oando PLC and indebtedness arising from Ansbury’s interpretation of the published 2016 Audited Financial Statements of Oando PLC.
This is to remind our shareholders and the general public alike that following the petition to the SEC and in line with the SEC’s directives on October 18, 2017, a forensic audit into the affairs of the Company officially began with an on-site review by the appointed external auditor commencing in March 2018.
In the spirit of goodwill, transparency and full disclosure, the Company will continue to cooperate with the SEC in the discharge of their duties as the Capital Markets regulator during this exercise as well as update the market on any reports that may have a bearing on investors’ decision and the value of their shares.
Oando PLC does not owe volpi – True
Wale Tinubu and Co.renege on debt owed volpi – True
Wale Tinubu and Co are fleecing shareholders using private companies to get contract from Oando – True
Foreign Banks and lenders will be very unwilling to give any Oando related entity loan – True
Wale Tinubu led Oando is embarking on financial engineering, selling just enough assets every quarter to report profit – True
Oando may have an irrepairable reputational damage – True