Key Takeaways
- The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly cautioned Nigerians against voting for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election.
- APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, cited numerous alleged local and international bribery and corruption schemes involving Atiku.
- The party labeled Atiku as 'unfit for public office' and an 'accidental Vice President,' referencing former President Obasanjo's criticisms.
- Specific allegations include controversies surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, the Siemens bribery scandal, the William Jefferson case, and a US Senate investigation into suspicious financial transactions.
- The APC also criticized Atiku's recent shift in stance on fuel subsidy removal, contrasting it with President Tinubu's economic reforms.
ABUJA – Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a fierce offensive against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, issuing a stark warning to the electorate ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The party emphatically stated that Atiku must 'never again be allowed anywhere near the nation’s treasury,' citing a long history of alleged corruption and unfitness for the highest office.
In a statement released on Thursday, Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, highlighted widespread media and public discourse surrounding 'damning reports' of Atiku’s alleged involvement in various local and international bribery and corruption schemes. The party characterized these remarks as an 'open and shut reference' by Atiku’s former principal, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to his 'unfitness for public office.'
A Litany of Allegations: Decades of Controversy
The APC described Atiku’s record as a former public official as 'an executive summary of some of Nigeria’s vilest episodes of corruption and cronyism that pulverized our economy and decimated public trust.' The party asserted that the upcoming presidential election offers Nigerians a crucial opportunity to decisively end Atiku’s persistent quest for presidential power.
The statement meticulously detailed a string of controversies spanning decades. These include the contentious Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, the infamous Siemens bribery scandal, the William Jefferson case, the PTDF funds controversy, and a significant US Senate investigation into suspicious financial transactions. The APC insisted these were not mere allegations but 'matters that are well documented in official records, tribunal proceedings, government investigations, national and foreign legislative reports, and international financial inquiries,' raising serious questions about Atiku’s probity and accountability.
The Mambilla Project Shadow
Regarding the Mambilla project, the APC statement referenced an International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Tribunal in Paris, which reportedly examined a $500,000 payment made in January 2003. This payment, from Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power, to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s wife at the time, through an offshore company, allegedly occurred around the period the Mambilla contract was awarded while Atiku served as Vice President. The party claimed Atiku 'declined an opportunity to explain and justify what clearly was an illegal bribe payment to his wife.'
Siemens and William Jefferson Cases
The APC also recalled the Siemens bribery scandal, where US authorities alleged that Siemens paid at least $45 million in bribes to secure Nigerian telecommunications contracts during the Obasanjo administration. Approximately $2.8 million of these funds reportedly passed through a bank account owned by Douglas. Siemens later agreed to pay about $1.6 billion in penalties to US and German authorities for global bribery violations. Furthermore, the William Jefferson bribery case saw US court records indicating that former Congressman William Jefferson disclosed paying Atiku $100,000 to influence a proposed business partnership. Jefferson was subsequently convicted and imprisoned.
US Senate Investigations
A 2010 report by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations was also cited, linking Atiku and Douglas to over $40 million in suspicious funds transferred into the United States via offshore companies and lodged in more than 30 bank accounts associated with Douglas and her family. These extensive financial inquiries underscore the gravity of the allegations leveled against the former Vice President.
The Fuel Subsidy Flip-Flop
Beyond historical allegations, the APC also criticized Atiku’s recent shift in policy stance. The party faulted his move from supporting fuel subsidy removal in 2023 to now promising to restore the subsidy regime if elected. The APC described this as 'his latest device to lay his hands on, and squander, the country’s 18-year foreign reserve high of over $54 billion built up from $3 billion by President Bola Tinubu in less than four years through bold and prudent economic reforms.' The ruling party asserted that the robust treasury built by President Bola Tinubu is what Atiku allegedly desires 'to scatter and plunder under the cover of his fake and unrealistic promise to restore the ruinous fuel subsidy regime.'
Obasanjo's Damning Verdict
The APC’s statement further bolstered its claims by recalling former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s characterization of Atiku in his autobiography, 'My Watch.' Obasanjo reportedly described Atiku as possessing 'a propensity for corruption, a tendency toward disloyalty, poor judgment, and a readiness to sacrifice the national interest for selfish gains.' The party also reminded the public of Obasanjo’s August 2026 remark, where he called his decision to pick Atiku as his running mate in 1999 the 'biggest mistake' of his presidency, quoting him as saying, '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.'
Why This Matters
The APC's aggressive campaign against Atiku Abubakar highlights the intensely polarized political landscape in Nigeria as the 2027 elections draw closer. These accusations, particularly those backed by documented investigations and former presidential remarks, aim to significantly influence public perception and voter sentiment, emphasizing the critical role of integrity and accountability in leadership for the nation's future stability and economic progress.