By Gabriel Ameh
The Democratic Front (TDF) has backed a call by Dele Alake, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race over issues arising from the long-running Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project dispute.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo, TDF cited revelations from the recent International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration involving Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and the Federal Government.
The ICC tribunal in Paris recently ruled in Nigeria’s favour, rejecting claims by Sunrise Power connected to the Mambilla project. The proceedings also examined a $500,000 payment made by Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, in January 2003.
TDF said the payment raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the award of the Mambilla contract and argued that the matter warranted political accountability.
“We acknowledge the validity of Dele Alake’s call against the backdrop of the ruling delivered by the ICC Arbitration tribunal in Paris,” the group said.
According to TDF, the tribunal’s findings provided fresh grounds for scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the 2003 award of the Mambilla project to Sunrise Power.
The group also linked the controversy to the long delay in developing the hydropower project, arguing that Nigeria had lost potential economic and electricity-generation opportunities as a result.
TDF further alleged that Sunrise Power lacked the required experience for the project when the contract was awarded and described the circumstances surrounding the award as a breach of public procurement and accountability standards.
The organisation also highlighted the $500,000 transfer to Atiku’s former wife, Jennifer Douglas, which the ICC tribunal examined during the arbitration.
According to reports on the tribunal’s findings, Adesanya said the payment was part of a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku. However, the tribunal noted that he failed to provide documentary or independent witness evidence to substantiate that explanation.
TDF argued that the developments required Atiku to provide further explanations concerning the Mambilla controversy.
The former vice-president has rejected suggestions that the ICC arbitration amounted to an indictment or corruption verdict against him. Atiku said he was not a member of the procurement panel that awarded the Mambilla contract and denied influencing the award.
TDF nevertheless maintained that the issues raised by the arbitration should be considered in the context of Atiku’s bid to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The organisation therefore endorsed Alake’s call for Atiku to withdraw from the presidential race, arguing that the controversy surrounding the Mambilla project warranted political scrutiny.
The group said it expected the former vice-president to provide explanations concerning the allegations and issues raised in connection with the project.
The ICC arbitration itself centred on claims brought by Sunrise Power against Nigeria over the long-delayed Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project. The tribunal rejected the claims, resulting in a major legal victory for the Federal Government.
