Atiku Denies Bribery Allegations Amid APC Calls to Quit Race

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, alleging that a $500,000 payment to his ex-wife, Jennifer Douglas, in 2003 demonstrates corruption. Atiku, the African Democratic Congress candidate, has denied any personal involvement and challenged the ruling party to produce specific findings from an International Chamber of Commerce tribunal that prove he received a bribe. The controversy stems from a payment made on January 30, 2003, by Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, to Douglas through China Castle Investments Limited, an offshore entity. The ICC tribunal in Paris examined the transaction during arbitration over the stalled Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State. The tribunal rejected Adesanya's explanation that the payment was part of a foreign exchange transaction, citing the lack of documents showing the underlying naira payment, exchange rate, or instructions from Atiku. However, it did not find that Atiku personally received the money as a bribe or corruptly influenced the contract award.