The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race over allegations arising from the controversial Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
The APC campaign council made the call after an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal in Paris ruled in favour of Nigeria in a long-running dispute involving Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited over the proposed 3,960-megawatt project. The tribunal rejected claims by Sunrise against the Federal Government, including demands running into billions of dollars.
In a statement on Friday, the PCC spokesperson, Dele Alake, alleged that Atiku, who was Vice-President at the time, played a role in the controversial award of the project to Sunrise Power alongside then Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye.
The council also cited the tribunal’s examination of a $500,000 payment made in January 2003 by Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife.
According to reports on the tribunal’s final award, Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was part of a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku. However, the tribunal noted that supporting documentation for that explanation was not provided. It also noted the timing between the payment on January 30, 2003, and the purported award of the build-operate-transfer contract to Sunrise on May 22, 2003.
Alake described the payment as a bribe and alleged that it was connected to the proposed Mambilla contract.
The APC PCC further accused Atiku of disregarding objections raised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Federal Executive Council over the contract.
It also alleged that the controversy exposed Nigeria to substantial financial liabilities through subsequent legal proceedings initiated by Sunrise over the stalled project.
The council compared the Mambilla dispute with the $11 billion arbitration claim previously brought against Nigeria by Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID), arguing that the country had faced significant financial risks from international commercial disputes.
Alake also criticised Atiku for not appearing before the tribunal to give evidence concerning the $500,000 payment, contrasting this with the participation of former Presidents Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari in proceedings concerning Nigeria’s defence.
The APC campaign council subsequently called on Atiku to “bow out” of the 2027 presidential race, arguing that the allegations raised questions about his conduct while serving as Vice-President.
However, Atiku has rejected the APC’s interpretation of the tribunal proceedings. His spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said the tribunal did not find that Atiku received a $500,000 bribe, influenced the award of the Mambilla project or participated in a corrupt conspiracy.
The ICC tribunal’s ruling itself was focused on Sunrise Power’s claims against Nigeria and rejected the company’s demands arising from the Mambilla dispute. Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya has said his legal team is reviewing the award and will determine the company’s next legal steps.
The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project has remained stalled for years amid contractual and arbitration disputes surrounding its development.
