The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of compromising Nigeria’s national interest for personal financial gain in connection with the stalled Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
The council made the allegations in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its spokesman, Dele Alake, following proceedings at an arbitration tribunal in Paris under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
The APC council alleged that hearings in the arbitration involving Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd and its principal, Leno Adesanya, over the 3,960-megawatt Mambilla project had raised questions about the role played by Atiku, who was vice-president at the time, and former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, in the award of a contract to Sunrise.
According to the council, the contract was signed in the final months of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term despite objections and reservations reportedly expressed by the Federal Executive Council.
The APC further alleged that a $500,000 payment made by Adesanya through an offshore company, China Castle Investment, to a Citibank account belonging to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, was connected to the award of the contract.
It cited findings from the Paris arbitration proceedings, quoting the tribunal as stating: “There is a close connection in time between the moment the USD 500,000 payment was made to the wife of Vice-President Abubakar on 30 January 2003 and the alleged award of the BOT contract to Sunrise on 22 May 2003.”
The campaign council also referred to a previous United States Senate investigation into alleged corruption involving Atiku and other foreign officials, claiming that the investigation examined the $500,000 payment and other transfers.
The council alleged that the dispute surrounding the Mambilla project subsequently exposed Nigeria to substantial financial claims by Sunrise and Adesanya.
It said the claimants had demanded $680 million in settlement and interest in one arbitration, while another proceeding involved claims exceeding $2.7 billion in compensation and interest relating to disputes over the project.
The APC council compared the case with the controversial Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) gas project dispute, in which Nigeria faced a multibillion-dollar claim.
It further accused Atiku of deliberately avoiding appearing before the Paris tribunal to give evidence in support of the claims by Sunrise and Adesanya.
The council contrasted this with the alleged participation of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari in proceedings in Paris in support of Nigeria’s position.
The statement also cited criticisms of Atiku contained in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, particularly allegations concerning corruption, disloyalty, lack of transparency and placing personal interests above national interest.
The APC Campaign Council called on Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, arguing that the issues raised during the arbitration proceedings demonstrated that he was unsuitable to lead Nigeria.
It also urged residents of Taraba State to consider the implications of the dispute for the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, which it described as a major potential source of electricity and economic development for the state.
The statement was issued against the backdrop of the 2027 presidential contest, in which Atiku is seeking the presidency on the platform of the ADC.
The allegations contained in the APC statement are political claims by the ruling party’s campaign council; they do not, by themselves, establish criminal liability against Atiku or any other person named in the statement.
