The All Progressives Congress (APC) is back at it, hitting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with fresh accusations of corruption. The party is telling Nigerians not to trust him with the nation’s money in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, released a statement on Thursday. The statement is titled, "2027: Why Nigerians must keep Atiku away from the national treasury."
Mr Morka pointed out that Atiku’s time in public office has been marred by controversies. He highlighted new findings from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) regarding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, questioning Atiku’s integrity.
The APC spokesperson also mentioned several scandals. These include the Mambilla project, the Siemens bribery case, the corruption case involving former US Congressman William Jefferson, and a 2010 US Senate investigation into suspicious finances involving Atiku and his ex-wife, Jennifer Douglas.
Morka stressed that these issues are not just political jabs. They have been part of official investigations, court cases, and international financial reviews.
This latest APC attack follows a report by PREMIUM TIMES. The report detailed five international corruption cases involving Atiku and his former wife, Jennifer Douglas.
The report came out on Wednesday and discussed findings from the ICC Arbitration Tribunal in Paris about the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project. It also looked at the Siemens bribery scandal and the William Jefferson bribery case.
Atiku has consistently denied any corruption claims against him. His spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, recently pointed out that the ICC arbitration did not find Atiku guilty of any wrongdoing.
Shaibu challenged the APC to prove that Atiku took any bribe or misused his position. He stated that the arbitration ruling cannot be twisted into a criminal charge against Atiku.
The APC's attack comes right after details from the ICC tribunal were released. This tribunal examined a $500,000 payment made on January 30, 2003, by Leno Adesanya, who is linked to Sunrise Power, to a US account owned by Douglas, Atiku’s former wife.
Atiku responded by rejecting the idea that the tribunal's findings were a corruption verdict. He maintained that an arbitration ruling cannot equal a criminal conviction.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun looking into the issues raised by the tribunal's findings.
Morka also mentioned the Siemens bribery scandal. This scandal involved Siemens paying bribes for contracts in Nigeria during former President Olusegun Obasanjo's time. The US looked into Siemens for a global bribery scheme, and the company ended up paying around $1.6 billion in penalties.
The APC claims that about $2.8 million from the Siemens scandal went through an account linked to Douglas. Morka stated, “There was the Siemens bribery scandal in which US authorities alleged that Siemens paid at least $4.5 million in bribes to secure Nigerian telecommunications contracts.”
The party warns that Atiku’s history must be considered before he is given the presidency again. They stated, “Again, Atiku’s Vice Presidential soiled fingerprints are in focus.”
The APC also brought up the case of William Jefferson, a former US Congressman convicted of corruption. Jefferson was found to have discussed a $100,000 payment meant for Atiku in a business deal.
The investigations related to Jefferson also led to inquiries in Nigeria while Atiku was vice president. The EFCC looked into claims linked to the iGate-NDTV venture.
Morka said, “Again, Atiku’s dark web of corrupt influence peddling and abuse of office on display.”
He further referenced a 2010 US Senate investigation into suspicious transactions involving Atiku and Douglas. The investigation revealed over $40 million moved to the US through offshore firms between 2000 and 2008.
The Senate looked into $25 million that went into more than 30 US bank accounts tied to Douglas and her family. This movement of funds raised questions about their sources, although it does not automatically mean Atiku committed a crime.
Morka stated, “The 2010 report of the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations that linked Atiku and his ex-wife, Jennifer Douglas, to more than $40 million in suspicious funds tells a sordid tale of a man that cannot be trusted with the nation’s treasury.”
The APC also revisited the management of funds from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) during Atiku’s vice presidency. An investigation into the PTDF showed that funds meant for projects were kept in banks instead of being used as intended.
The report claimed Atiku approved a $20 million payment without the president’s consent, which is against standard procedures. Atiku claimed the investigations were driven by politics and that they lacked solid proof.
Beyond the corruption claims, the APC criticized Atiku's current views on the petrol subsidy. Atiku recently promised to bring back the petrol subsidy if he wins the presidency in 2027.
He said Nigeria has enough resources to support its people. Atiku also questioned what happened to the savings from the subsidy removal under President Bola Tinubu.
His spokesperson, Paul Ibe, mentioned that the subsidy would be temporary and phased out as the economy gets better. However, Atiku later said Ibe was not speaking for him and insisted he would restore the subsidy.
The APC called this a flip-flop from Atiku, who supported removing the subsidy before the 2023 election. They argued that bringing back the subsidy would strain public finances.
The APC also highlighted a recent criticism of Atiku from former President Obasanjo. At an event in Lagos, Obasanjo said picking Atiku as his running mate was his biggest mistake.
Obasanjo said, “The man I picked as my running mate, my number two, if I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him.”
Morka believes these controversies should make voters think about Atiku’s 2027 plans. He said the election will allow Nigerians to decide if Atiku should return to the presidency.
Morka expressed concern about the resources the federal government controls and the powers of the presidency. He said, “From the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project and the Siemens bribery scandal to the William Jefferson case and the PTDF funds controversy, Atiku’s name is engraved ingloriously on files and dossiers of financial scandals.”
He accused Atiku of having a history that raises doubts about accountability and resource management. The statement ended with a clear message: Atiku is “categorically unfit” for the presidency.
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