The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has promised to complete the Mambilla hydropower project if elected president.
He made the pledge on Saturday at the ADC presidential campaign rally in Bauchi, where he also reiterated his plans to restore petrol subsidy and “bring back” electricity subsidy if his party wins the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku said the North-East had abundant mineral resources, including crude oil, but successive administrations had failed to develop the region “because they did not want us to benefit from it”.
“I promise you that, by God’s grace, if you vote for us, we will ensure this oil work is completed for the prosperity of the north-east,” he said in Hausa.
“For those of you who are older, you will recall that since the era of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, there have been promises to build a dam called the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, which past governments failed to actualise.
“If God gives us the opportunity, and ADC is voted into power along with me, I promise you that we will continue and complete that project.”
The former vice-president also promised to remove what he described as “unnecessary taxes imposed on Nigerians” without justification.
He further pledged to address insecurity and banditry in the North-East, warning that those responsible would face consequences under his administration.
“Finally, we know that here in the north-east, we face insecurity issues and banditry. I swear, if the president were not somehow, nobody would dare to commit this nonsense under my watch and get away with it,” he said.
Atiku urged residents to support the ADC in the 2027 elections and ensure their votes were protected until officially recorded.
He also expressed appreciation to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for allowing the opposition party to use the stadium and government lodges for its campaign rally.
“The Bauchi state governor did not take things too far, he gave us the opportunity to campaign in this stadium and provided us with all the government lodges. For doing that, we thank him, even though we remain in the opposition,” he said.
Background to the Mambilla hydropower project
The Mambilla hydropower project in Taraba State was conceived in 1972 under the military administration of Yakubu Gowon but has remained uncompleted for decades.
Atiku, who served as vice-president from 1999 to 2007, was involved in discussions surrounding the project by at least 2001, according to proceedings before an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal.
On October 18, 2001, Sunrise Power and Transmission, promoted by Leno Adesanya, wrote to then President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku, expressing interest in the project.
In July 2002, Atiku led a Nigerian government delegation to Beijing, where Nigeria and China’s state-owned NCPEC signed a memorandum of understanding covering the Mambilla project and other initiatives.
On January 30, 2003, Adesanya’s offshore company transferred $500,000 to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then wife. Adesanya told the tribunal that the payment was a foreign-exchange transaction carried out on Atiku’s behalf.
On May 21, 2003, Olu Agunloye, then Minister of Power, submitted a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), seeking approval for Sunrise to undertake the project.
The council, however, asked him to withdraw the memorandum.
Atiku was said to have supported Obasanjo’s position and advised the ministry to consider all available options.
However, Agunloye wrote to Sunrise the following day, communicating approval for the contract at a provisional cost of $6 billion.
Sunrise commenced arbitration proceedings at the ICC on October 10, 2017, seeking $2.354 billion in compensation over an alleged breach of agreement.
In its final award issued on September 16, 2026, the tribunal dismissed the company’s claims that Nigeria had breached its contractual obligations under the settlement agreement and its addendum.
It also ordered Sunrise and its promoter to reimburse Nigeria for $11.8 million in legal fees.
The tribunal identified “significant red flags” concerning the $500,000 payment and Atiku’s influence.
However, the former vice-president has denied involvement in the contract award and rejected claims that the tribunal indicted him.