Atiku Abubakar has rejected the APC campaign council’s claims over the Mambilla project, challenging it to produce any part of the tribunal award that found him guilty of corruption.Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council to produce any portion of the International Chamber of Commerce tribunal’s final award that found him guilty of corruption over the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

Atiku, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, accused the APC campaign council of distorting the outcome of the arbitration by presenting allegations examined by the tribunal as a corruption verdict against him.

The dispute followed the tribunal’s ruling in favour of Nigeria in the long-running arbitration involving the Federal Government, Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and its promoter, Leno Adesanya.

The APC campaign council had focused on a $500,000 payment made by Adesanya in 2003 to Jennifer Douglas, who was then married to Atiku, and alleged that the transaction raised questions about Atiku’s role in the award of the Mambilla contract.

Atiku, however, said he was not involved in the technical process that assessed competing proposals, did not sit on the procurement panel and did not award the contract.

He challenged the APC to identify where in the tribunal’s award it was established that he received a bribe, influenced the award of the contract, instructed former Power Minister Olu Agunloye to award it to Sunrise Power or participated in a corrupt conspiracy.

Atiku also rejected claims that he refused to appear before the tribunal after being summoned, saying he was not a party to the arbitration and did not testify before it.

He said the tribunal’s rejection of Adesanya’s explanation for the $500,000 transfer, on the grounds that there was insufficient documentary evidence supporting it, should not be interpreted as a finding that Atiku received a bribe.

He further noted that the arbitration did not impose damages, costs or other liability on him. Rather, the tribunal dismissed Sunrise Power’s claims and ordered the company and Adesanya to reimburse Nigeria for 75 per cent of its legal fees and expenses.

Atiku urged the APC to publish the portions of the award it relied upon and allow Nigerians to examine the tribunal’s findings directly.

He said the controversy should not be used to turn allegations into established findings ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the APC should distinguish between claims made during proceedings and conclusions formally reached by the tribunal.