Ex-AGF Malami Say ‘I No Take Bribe’ For Mambilla Deal, Welcome Nigeria Victory!

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, don reject claims say e enta corrupt arrangement with Leno Adesanya, wey be promoter of Sunrise Power, over di long-running Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

Malami, for statement wey e release on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, welcome di decision of di International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal wey rule for Nigeria’s favour, but e reject di findings wey concern how e handle settlement talks with Sunrise Power.

Di ICC tribunal deliver di 616-page final award for Paris for September 16, 2026. Di tribunal reject Sunrise Power mata for Nigeria for talk wet concern di Mambilla project and order di company to Adesanya to return epart of Nigeria moni.

The Mambilla mata come from talk wey trace back to agreements wey dem proposed hydroelectric project for Taraba State. Sunrise Power pursued claims wey put Nigeria potential financial exposure above $2.7 billion for one of di arbitration matters, while anoda claim involve $680 million plus interest.

But inside the tribunal findings, serious mata come over di 2020 settlement arrangement for Malami and Adesanya.

Malami, don reject dat mata. E talk say the arbitration na commercial case for parties and e no be criminal prosecution for am. According to his position, the tribunal award no be criminal conviction.

E say pipo need to get full gist and documents before dem reach any conclusion about di mata against am.

Anoda beta part of Malami answer na di history of di Mambilla dispute. E say di mata around Sunrise Power and di project start before e become Attorney-General, and dat e recanate di issue wey don pass through different administrations, ministries and former Attorneys-General.

Malami talk say government last talk na around 2019 wey bring different mata inside, with Sunrise wey want $500 million before dem con agree for $200 million settlement.

He con talk say former President Muhammadu Buhari never approve di $200 million settlement. According to Malami, Buhari reject the proposal in April 2020 and again in January 2021.

The tribunal, for em own findings, to examined communications between Malami and Adesanya and di mata around di settlement agreement and em lata addendum. Di tribunal held that di agreements could not bind di Federal Government without di required presidential approval and rejected Sunrise’s financial claims.

One of did allegations examined by di tribunal involved Adesanya’s claim that Malami requested a bribe during settlement discussions.

Malami don reject the allegation and say e never take money or personal financial benefit from Sunrise, Adesanya or any company connected with the matter.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) don reportedly set up a team to examine transactions and people mentioned in connection with the Mambilla matter following the tribunal findings. Premium Times report say the investigation include individuals linked to alleged questionable dealings surrounding the project.

The Federal Government, on its side, don describe the ICC decision as major victory for Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu say di ruling remove one of di major legal obstacles wey don affect di long-delayed Mambilla project.

Di Mambilla project emself na one of Nigeria biggest projects wey don teh. Di proposed hydroelectric development dey Taraba State and e don pass through different contractual arrangements, financing discussions and legal disputes over di years.

For Malami, di latest development get two different sides: Nigeria don win the arbitration and avoid di major financial claims by Sunrise, while Mata way concern di conduct of pipo way dey did mata still dey ground.

Malami say e welcome Nigeria’s victory but e want di tribunal findings wey concern em conduct to dey examined based on di complete record. E add say e go bring one beta answer afta e review di complete award and oda documents.

Malami don reject bribery and corruption claims linked to the Mambilla arbitration while e welcome Nigeria victory over Sunrise Power for the ICC tribunal.