The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, alleging that revelations from an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration in Paris have raised fresh questions about his handling of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the APC campaign council, through its spokesman, Dele Alake, alleged that Atiku, who was Vice-President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, worked with former Power Minister, Olu Agunloye, in the controversial award of a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.
The council alleged that the contract, relating to the proposed 3,960MW Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State, was signed despite objections and reservations reportedly expressed by Obasanjo and the Federal Executive Council.
It further cited proceedings before the ICC tribunal in Paris involving claims by Sunrise Power and businessman Leno Adesanya against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the APC council, the arbitration proceedings examined a $500,000 payment made in January 2003 to an account belonging to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, and its alleged connection to the subsequent award of the Mambila contract to Sunrise.
The council quoted the tribunal as observing: “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 APC campaign council alleged that the controversy surrounding the contract exposed Nigeria to substantial financial claims after the government subsequently declined to proceed with the agreement.
It said Sunrise and Adesanya had sought substantial compensation from Nigeria, including a claim of more than $2.7 billion in a related arbitration concerning disputes over the Mambila project.
The council also drew parallels between the Mambila dispute and the country’s earlier legal battle over the P&ID gas project, arguing that both cases demonstrate the financial risks associated with controversial contracts involving the Federal Government.
The APC statement further alleged that Atiku did not appear in Paris to give evidence in support of the claim, while former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari appeared in proceedings to defend Nigeria’s interests.
It also referenced criticisms of Atiku contained in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, particularly allegations concerning corruption, disloyalty, transparency and the prioritisation of personal interests over national interest.
The campaign council consequently urged Atiku to withdraw from the presidential contest, describing the Mambila-related allegations as part of what it called a broader record requiring public scrutiny.
It also appealed to residents of Taraba State to consider the implications of the stalled Mambila project, arguing that its successful implementation would have generated significant economic benefits for the state and the country.
The APC council’s statement comes amid preparations for the 2027 general elections, with Atiku emerging as the ADC’s presidential candidate and the APC preparing to defend President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his re-election bid.
