Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected allegations that he received a $500,000 bribe to influence the award of the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project contract to Sunrise Power.
Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the recent International Chamber of Commerce arbitration did not find that he received a bribe or corruptly influenced the contract.
The controversy centres on a $500,000 payment made in January 2003 by Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya to Jennifer Douglas, who was then Atiku’s wife. Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was related to a foreign exchange transaction carried out for Atiku.
However, the tribunal rejected Adesanya’s explanation because it was not supported by sufficient documentary evidence. The tribunal did not, however, make a finding that Atiku received a bribe or personally used his office to secure the Sunrise contract.
Atiku challenged the APC to produce any part of the tribunal’s final award stating that he solicited or received a bribe, directed the award of the contract to Sunrise, or was found guilty of corruption.
He also said he was not a party to the arbitration and did not testify before the tribunal.
The ICC tribunal ultimately rejected Sunrise Power’s claims against Nigeria and ordered the company and Adesanya to reimburse Nigeria for 75 percent of its legal fees and expenses.
Leave a comment