Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has rejected allegations that he was involved in a corrupt arrangement with Sunrise Power promoter, Leno Adesanya, over the controversial Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.

According to New Daily Prime, Malami, in a statement issued by his media aide, Mohammed Bello Doka, on Tuesday, maintained that the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration was a commercial proceeding and should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction against him.

His reaction followed the release of the tribunal’s 616-page final award, which dismissed claims brought by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited against Nigeria and ordered the company and Adesanya to reimburse Nigeria for part of its legal costs.

While acknowledging reports of adverse findings concerning his role in negotiations with Sunrise, Malami insisted that such allegations must be assessed against the full documentary and evidentiary record. He specifically denied receiving money or any other personal benefit from Adesanya, Sunrise or related entities.

The former AGF also defended the circumstances surrounding the proposed settlement, saying the Sunrise dispute predated his tenure and had passed through several administrations and Attorneys-General.

He said his involvement came as part of efforts by the Federal Government to resolve longstanding contractual disputes that had become an obstacle to financing discussions for the Mambilla project.

According to Malami, negotiations in 2019 saw Sunrise initially demand $500 million, while government representatives proposed $100 million before discussions settled around a $200 million figure. He stressed, however, that former President Muhammadu Buhari never approved the proposed payment, including a subsequent request submitted in 2021.

Malami said he subsequently directed government lawyers to oppose Sunrise’s attempt to enforce the settlement, arguing that his actions demonstrated that he did not seek to bypass the President’s position.

He also questioned reports concerning alleged recordings said to be relevant to the corruption claims, noting that the tribunal’s consideration of such allegations should take into account whether the recordings existed, were authentic and were actually presented as evidence.

The arbitration outcome nevertheless represents a significant financial victory for Nigeria, with the government saying Sunrise had sought hundreds of millions of dollars and billions of dollars in separate claims connected to the Mambilla project. The tribunal rejected the claims and also dismissed a $400 million demand linked to the disputed settlement.

Malami said he would issue a more comprehensive response to the tribunal’s specific findings after reviewing the complete award and accompanying records.