Mambilla Dispute: APC Questions Atiku’s 2027 Ambition Over ICC Arbitration

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a fresh political attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declaring him unfit to become president and pointing to the recent International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration decision linked to the long-delayed Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

The statement, issued by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, followed renewed public debate over the arbitration award, which arose from a contractual dispute involving the multi-billion-dollar power project. According to the APC, the tribunal’s findings reinforce longstanding allegations that Atiku improperly benefited from his influence during his years in government—an accusation the former vice president has consistently denied.

At the centre of the controversy is the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, a proposed 3,050-megawatt dam in Taraba State that has remained stalled for decades despite being regarded as one of Africa’s most ambitious electricity projects. The dispute stems from contracts awarded in the early 2000s and subsequent legal battles between the Nigerian government and foreign business interests over ownership, compensation and contractual rights.

It is important to distinguish the legal issues from the political claims. The arbitration was conducted by the International Chamber of Commerce, a commercial arbitration institution, not the International Criminal Court. The proceedings concerned contractual and financial disputes rather than criminal liability, and no criminal conviction was entered against Atiku Abubakar in connection with the case.

In its statement, the APC argued that the arbitration outcome should influence public judgment about Atiku’s suitability for the presidency, describing it as evidence of ethical and leadership concerns. The party maintained that Nigerians deserve leaders whose public service records are free from controversies capable of exposing the country to costly international disputes.

Atiku’s camp has pushed back strongly. His media aides insist that the former vice president was neither a party to the arbitration nor found guilty of any wrongdoing by the tribunal. They have accused the APC of deliberately misrepresenting a commercial arbitration to score political points ahead of the 2027 election cycle, arguing that allegations repeated in political statements should not be confused with judicial findings.

The Mambilla project itself has become a symbol of Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges. First conceived to significantly boost national electricity generation, it has suffered repeated delays caused by litigation, changing administrations, financing hurdles and contractual disagreements. Successive governments have pledged to revive the project, but construction has yet to deliver the transformative power capacity originally envisioned.

Political observers note that the latest exchange reflects an increasingly confrontational atmosphere as major parties begin positioning for future elections. While the APC has framed the arbitration as a question of character and accountability, Atiku’s supporters argue that only verified legal facts, not partisan interpretation, should shape public debate.

As campaigning rhetoric gradually intensifies, the Mambilla dispute is likely to remain both a legal and political reference point. For voters, the more significant issue may be less about competing accusations and more about whether Nigeria can finally resolve the decades-long obstacles that have kept one of its most important energy projects from becoming a reality.