By our correspondent
ABUJA – The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of compromising Nigeria’s interests for personal gain over the controversial contract for the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
The council’s spokesman, Dele Alake, made the allegation in a statement on Friday, following the recent ruling by an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration tribunal in Paris over the long-running dispute involving Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and the Federal Government.
Alake alleged that Atiku, who was vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and then Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, worked together to approve the controversial Build-Operate-Transfer contract for the 3,960-megawatt Mambilla project despite objections from Obasanjo and the Federal Executive Council.
He further alleged that the development was linked to a $500,000 payment made through an offshore company, China Castle Investment, to the United States bank account of Atiku’s then-wife, Jennifer Douglas, in January 2003.
According to Alake, the transaction and other transfers allegedly totalling $40m later featured in a United States Senate investigation into suspected corruption involving foreign officials.
He said the Paris tribunal also noted a “close connection in time” between the $500,000 payment to Douglas on January 30, 2003, and the alleged award of the Mambilla contract to Sunrise on May 22, 2003.
The APC campaign spokesman said the Federal Government’s refusal to proceed with the contract subsequently resulted in arbitration claims by Sunrise and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, seeking hundreds of millions of dollars and other compensation from Nigeria.
Alake accused Atiku of failing to appear before the tribunal to give evidence, while praising former Presidents Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari for appearing in Paris to defend Nigeria’s interests.
He also cited allegations made against Atiku in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, where the former President questioned the former vice-president’s transparency, judgement and commitment to national interest.
The APC campaign council spokesman urged Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, alleging that the issues surrounding the Mambilla project were only part of what he described as wider corruption allegations against the ADC candidate.
Alake also accused Atiku of contributing to the failure of the Mambilla project to take off, saying the development had the potential to generate significant economic benefits for Taraba State and Nigeria.
The APC spokesman said the latest arbitration proceedings had, in his view, raised fresh questions about Atiku’s record and suitability for the presidency.