An International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Arbitration Tribunal in Paris has named Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, in its final award regarding suspicious dealings surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project contract. The tribunal found that Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, made a $500,000 payment to a US bank account belonging to Atiku's former wife, Jennifer Douglas, on 30 January 2003.
Atiku and Ms Douglas, a dual US-Nigerian citizen, have been linked to several suspicious international financial transactions, particularly in the United States. Documents reviewed show that Ms Douglas opened more than 30 US bank accounts in her name or in the names of the Jennifer Douglas Abubakar Family Trust, the Gede Foundation, and the American University of Nigeria (AUN). The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations reported that Ms Douglas lived in a luxury home in Potomac, Maryland, and repeatedly told banks that her husband, Atiku, transferred millions of dollars to her accounts through offshore companies.
The Mambilla case is the fifth instance in which Atiku and his former wife have faced allegations of corruption or linked to suspicious financial transactions abroad. Atiku worked in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for about 20 years, retiring in 1989 as a deputy director. He subsequently spent about a decade in the private sector before becoming vice-president to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, holding the office for eight years.
One of the corruption cases involving Atiku is the Siemens bribery scandal, which centred on allegations that Siemens paid bribes to Nigerian government officials to secure telecommunications contracts during Mr Obasanjo's administration. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged that Siemens' telecommunications subsidiary paid at least $4.5 million in bribes in connection with four Nigerian telecommunications contracts valued at approximately $130 million.
The payments in the Siemens bribery scandal were allegedly channelled through fictitious consultancy agreements and intermediaries, including a bank account linked to Jennifer Douglas. Approximately $2.8 million was routed through a bank account in Potomac, Maryland, held in Ms Douglas' name. Siemens agreed to pay approximately $1.6 billion in penalties to US and German authorities over violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Another corruption case involving Atiku is the Jefferson bribery saga, which involved former US Congressman William Jefferson and brought Atiku and some of his associates under scrutiny over alleged bribery-related activities. Atiku's name has also been mentioned in other corruption cases, including his repeated difficulties obtaining US visas, which some attribute to corruption allegations against him.
Atiku has not been convicted in any of these cases, and he has attributed his wealth to "wise investments, hard work, and sheer luck of being at the right place at the right time." The former president is often named among Nigeria's most affluent personalities.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar has been linked to five international corruption cases, including the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project contract and the Siemens bribery scandal.
- Atiku's former wife, Jennifer Douglas, has been involved in several suspicious international financial transactions, including the transfer of millions of dollars through offshore companies.
- Atiku has faced repeated difficulties obtaining US visas, which some attribute to corruption allegations against him.
