Atiku aide challenges portrayal of allegations as convictions

Paul Ibe has challenged the portrayal of allegations and investigations involving former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as five international corruption convictions, arguing that the available material does not establish that Atiku was convicted in any of the cases. Writing in a right-of-reply article, Ibe said a distinction should be made between an allegation, an investigation, a suspicious-transaction report, an administrative finding, a criminal charge and a conviction. His response addressed a Premium Times report concerning Atiku, his former wife Jennifer Douglas, business associates and other parties.

On the Mambilla dispute, Ibe acknowledged that a $500,000 payment to an account belonging to Douglas had raised questions. But he argued that concern about the payment was not the same as a tribunal finding that Atiku had corruptly obtained or procured the contract for Sunrise Power. He also noted that Atiku was not a party to the arbitration, which involved Sunrise Power and the Federal Government.

Regarding the William Jefferson case, Ibe said Jefferson was investigated, prosecuted and convicted in the United States, while Atiku was not. He highlighted evidence that $90,000 of $100,000 in FBI-controlled cash remained in Jefferson’s possession, arguing that evidence of a planned bribe did not prove that Atiku received one. On Siemens, Ibe said the company and individuals involved in its bribery system faced established legal consequences, but argued that those findings could not automatically be transferred to Atiku because an account linked to a family member appeared in the investigation.

He also described the PTDF matter as an administrative and political dispute and cited a Senate committee finding that there was no direct evidence of personal enrichment by Atiku, although it identified procedural lapses. Ibe’s article is a defence of Atiku’s position and does not provide a court ruling resolving all the allegations described.