APC Demands Atiku Withdrawal over Arbitration Findings

The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally called on Atiku Abubakar, the candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to withdraw from the upcoming 2027 presidential election. According to Dele Alake, the council’s spokesperson in Abuja, the party views recent arbitration materials concerning the Mambilla hydropower project as sufficient grounds for this demand. The dispute, heard by an International Chamber of Commerce tribunal in Paris, centers on claims made against the Nigerian federal government regarding the suspended project in Taraba State.

The APC’s position relies heavily on a specific financial transaction highlighted in the tribunal’s records. Alake pointed to a $500,000 transfer made in January 2003 to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, via an offshore entity controlled by Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd. While the tribunal dismissed Sunrise’s claims against Nigeria and ordered the company to reimburse 75% of the government’s legal fees, the APC interprets the noted temporal proximity between this payment and the subsequent award of a build-operate-transfer contract as evidence of impropriety.

Arbitration Details and Financial Claims

According to tribunal materials cited by the APC, the $500,000 reached Douglas’s Citibank account in the United States through China Castle Investments Ltd. The party argues that this transfer was linked to the contract award to Sunrise, which occurred later in 2003. However, Adesanya has explained the transfer as a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku. Reports on the decision note that this explanation lacked supporting documentation, such as naira payment records or specific instructions from Atiku or his aides.

It is important to note that the arbitration did not find that the former vice president received a bribe. Nevertheless, the APC asserts that these circumstances indicate Atiku acted against Nigeria’s interests. The council further stated that the 2003 contract was not approved by the Federal Executive Council and resulted in substantial financial claims against the state. Atiku has previously denied any wrongdoing related to corruption allegations concerning this payment and related matters.

Political Implications for 2027

This move by the APC adds a new layer of tension to the pre-election period. As reported by GN auto geopolitics/africa: Nigeria elections, the party is leveraging legal documents to pressure its main opposition figure. The dispute highlights the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the Mambilla project, a long-standing point of contention in Nigerian energy politics. The ruling party’s strategy appears to be one of preemptive disqualification based on historical financial disclosures rather than current misconduct.

The ADC and Atiku’s camp are expected to respond to these allegations, potentially challenging the interpretation of the arbitration findings. The situation underscores the complex interplay between legal outcomes and political narratives in Nigeria’s electoral landscape. Stakeholders are watching closely to see if this call for withdrawal will influence the broader campaign dynamics or if it will be dismissed as a partisan maneuver.

What to Watch Next

The immediate focus will be on the official response from Atiku and the ADC leadership. Observers should monitor whether the APC intends to pursue further legal or political actions based on these arbitration materials. Additionally, the reaction of other political parties and civil society groups will be key indicators of how this dispute affects the broader democratic process. The next few weeks will likely see increased media scrutiny and public debate over the implications of the 2003 transactions.