The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of being a danger to Nigeria and urged voters to reject his bid for the presidency in the 2027 election.
The ruling party made the allegation in a statement published on its verified X account, where it raised questions about Atiku’s past and referred to several corruption-related controversies involving the former vice-president.
The APC alleged that Atiku had been linked to local and international bribery and financial investigations, arguing that his political record raised concerns about accountability and the management of public resources.
The party also criticised Atiku’s continued pursuit of the presidency, saying the 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to decide whether he should return to the highest political office in the country.
APC Raises Fresh Concerns Over Mambilla Project
The party placed particular emphasis on the latest controversy surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
The controversy centres on a $500,000 payment made in January 2003 by Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, to Jennifer Douglas, who was then Atiku’s wife.
According to evidence examined by a three-member International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal, the money was transferred on January 30, 2003, through China Castle Investments Limited, an offshore company controlled by Adesanya.
The payment was made shortly after Sunrise presented its tender for the Mambilla project and months before the company was purportedly awarded a build-operate-transfer contract.
Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was part of a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku. However, the tribunal found that the explanation was not supported by sufficient documentary evidence.
The tribunal noted that Adesanya did not provide records showing the underlying naira payment, exchange rate, instructions from Atiku or his aides, or documents establishing the commercial purpose of the transaction. Neither Atiku nor Douglas gave evidence in the arbitration to corroborate the explanation.
APC Links Atiku to Other Controversies
Beyond the Mambilla matter, the APC referred to several other cases and investigations in its statement.
These included the Siemens bribery controversy, the William Jefferson case, questions surrounding Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) funds and a US Senate investigation into suspicious financial transactions.
The party argued that the cases collectively raised questions about Atiku’s record and suitability for the presidency.
However, the allegations cited by the APC involve different cases, investigations and periods, and their findings vary. Atiku has previously denied wrongdoing in connection with the William Jefferson case.
The APC nevertheless maintained that the controversies should be considered when Nigerians assess the former vice-president’s presidential ambition.
Atiku Yet to Respond to Latest APC Attack
The statement represents the APC’s position on Atiku as the 2027 presidential contest begins to take shape.
The party’s latest comments come amid growing political activity ahead of the election, with major political figures and parties positioning themselves for the contest.
The APC said Atiku should not be allowed access to the country’s national treasury, alleging that his past controversies make him unsuitable for the presidency.
Atiku, a former vice-president who has contested the presidency several times, has continued to remain a prominent figure in Nigeria’s opposition politics.
The latest APC statement did not establish that Atiku personally received the $500,000 payment examined by the ICC tribunal. Rather, the tribunal record shows that Adesanya said the payment to Jennifer Douglas was a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku, while the tribunal found that the explanation lacked corroborating evidence.
The distinction is significant because the APC’s political allegations and the tribunal’s findings are not identical. The tribunal examined the evidence presented in the arbitration and rejected the explanation offered for the payment; it did not, on that basis alone, establish every allegation made by the APC against Atiku.
As the 2027 presidential contest develops, the allegations are likely to remain part of the political debate surrounding Atiku’s record, while responses from Atiku and his political allies will provide another side to the claims made by the ruling party.
