Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited, has revealed that he made multiple attempts to resolve the dispute over the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project amicably. He claimed that despite advice from his lawyers against doing so, he wrote to relevant authorities to settle the matter. Adesanya emphasized that his primary interest was to see the long-delayed Mambilla project completed and contributing to Nigeria's power supply and economic development.
Adesanya reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and expressed his desire for the Tinubu administration to succeed. He stated that the development of Mambilla should transcend political differences and competing narratives. According to Adesanya, his support for President Tinubu was based on his ethnic background and long-standing association with the President. He described himself as a businessman who began his banking career with Citibank in the 1980s before building successful businesses, particularly in the energy sector.
Adesanya denied attempts by political detractors to create a misleading impression about his role in the Mambilla project. He described associations with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, as attempts to link him politically. Adesanya stressed that his interest had always been the successful development of the project, not political patronage. He said personal or business associations should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of political affiliation or ulterior motives.
The Mambilla project, located in Taraba State, has been conceived as one of Nigeria's major power-generation projects. Successive administrations have sought to resolve the contractual, financing, and legal challenges surrounding its implementation. In 2017, the Federal Government signed a $5.792 billion contract for the development of the project, then designed to generate 3,050 megawatts of electricity. Adesanya insisted that the priority should now be to move beyond the controversies that have surrounded the project and focus on its potential contribution to Nigeria's power supply and economic development.
President Tinubu recently described an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration tribunal ruling in Paris as an important development for the long-delayed Mambilla project. The ruling was said to have cleared "the single biggest legal hurdle" that stalled the project for years. President Tinubu commended Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi and the Federal Ministry of Justice team, as well as Nigeria's defence lawyers, Elizabeth Oger-Gross and Tolu Obamuroh of Paul Hastings LLP.
Adesanya reiterated his desire to see the Mambilla project become a reality, saying his interest was to support efforts that would bring the long-awaited project to fruition. He also reaffirmed his support for President Tinubu, saying he wanted the President to succeed and believed that the development of Mambilla should transcend political differences and competing narratives. According to Adesanya, people from different backgrounds had benefited from his generosity and friendship over the years, but such relationships should not be interpreted as evidence that he acted with hidden political motives.
The comments come against the backdrop of the long-running legal dispute between Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and the Federal Government over the Mambilla project. Adesanya said some of the dates of association had no significant relevance to the Mambilla hydro project. He described attempts to associate him with Atiku and Dasuki for political purposes as the work of "mischief-doers and political detractors."
Key points
- Leno Adesanya made attempts to resolve the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project dispute amicably.
- Adesanya reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu.
- The Mambilla project has been stalled due to contractual, financing, and legal challenges.
