Politics

Atiku’s Legendary Corruption Reverberated In Paris – APC Campaign Council

Published September 18, 2026 at 5:16 PM

2027 ADC Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar

Key Takeaways

The APC Presidential Campaign Council, through spokesperson, Dele Alake, attacked ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project arbitration controversy, calling him unfit.
The International Chamber of Commerce tribunal dismissed Sunrise Power’s claims against Nigeria, rejecting demands including $680 million and another claim exceeding $2.7bn over the Mambilla project.
The APC council alleged a $500,000 payment in January 2003 to Atiku’s then-wife, Jennifer Douglas, and said Atiku should quit 2027 race as Mambilla delays persist.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over issues arising from the arbitration dispute involving the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, describing him as unfit to lead Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the council made the claim in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, following the decision of the International Chamber of Commerce tribunal, which dismissed claims brought against Nigeria by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited over the Mambilla project.

The tribunal rejected Sunrise Power’s demands, including a $680 million claim and another claim exceeding $2.7bn.

The APC campaign council focused its statement on a $500,000 payment allegedly made by Sunrise promoter, Leno Adesanya, to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, in January 2003.

The council alleged that the payment was linked to the award of the Mambilla contract and raised questions about Atiku’s involvement in the process.

“Abubakar’s legendary corruption reverberated in Paris at the International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce,” the statement said.

The council alleged that Atiku and former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, worked together to secure the contract for Sunrise despite objections from former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

It further claimed that the payment to Douglas was made through China Castle Investment, an offshore company allegedly controlled by Adesanya.

However, reports from the arbitration proceedings indicated that Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was connected to a foreign exchange transaction involving Atiku. The tribunal considered the circumstances surrounding the payment as part of its review of the case.

Despite the tribunal’s decision in Nigeria’s favour, the APC campaign council maintained that the controversy surrounding the contract raised concerns about Atiku’s suitability for the presidency.

“By collecting a $500,000 bribe from Leno Adesanya to approve a Build-Operate-Transfer contract to a company with no scintilla of experience in hydro power generation, Atiku has proven he is one of the enablers of local and international predatory and exploitative entities out to defraud our country,” the council alleged.

The council also accused the former vice-president of failing to appear before the tribunal to provide testimony, while former presidents Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari appeared as witnesses for Nigeria.

The ruling party’s campaign council also referred to allegations contained in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, where the former president criticised Atiku over issues relating to corruption, loyalty and transparency.

The council argued that the Mambilla dispute reinforced its position that Atiku should not contest the 2027 presidential election.

It urged him to withdraw from the race, saying the controversy showed he was “unfit for Nigeria’s presidency.”

The council linked the arbitration dispute to delays affecting the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, a major electricity generation project planned for Taraba State.