Concerned stakeholders in Taraba State have called on critics of former Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman, to allow the judiciary determine all issues surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project located on the Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area of the state.
The stakeholders made the appeal on Monday in a press statement signed by Abdulkahi G and made available to journalists in Jalingo, cautioning against what they described as undue interference in matters concerning the former minister, especially in relation to the long-delayed Mambilla power project.
They questioned the basis of an April 21 publication by a privately owned media organisation in the state, which had called on Mamman to explain the persistent delays associated with the project.
According to the group, the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project was conceived in the 1970s and formally awarded in 2003 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, about 16 years before Engr. Mamman assumed office as Minister of Power in 2019.
They argued that the project has since faced numerous legal, financial and contractual challenges, including international arbitration, stressing that it would be unfair to hold one individual responsible for delays spanning over four decades.
“The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project was conceived in the 1970s and awarded in 2003 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, about 16 years before Engr. Mamman assumed office in 2019.
“Since then, the project has faced persistent legal, financial, and contractual challenges, including international arbitration. Assigning over four decades of delay to a minister who served for less than two years is both inaccurate and misleading,” the statement said.
The stakeholders also addressed the ongoing legal proceedings involving the former minister, noting that Mamman is currently facing two charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged sums of N33.8 billion and N31.7 billion linked to the Zungeru and Mambilla projects.
They emphasized that allegations do not amount to convictions, pointing out that the former minister has pleaded not guilty and remains innocent under the law until proven otherwise by a competent court.
According to them, court proceedings, including testimonies presented in January 2025, confirm that the matter is still active before the judiciary and should be left for legal determination rather than public speculation or media trial.
The statement further disclosed that available court records, including filings in the case involving former Minister Olu Agunloye, showed that as far back as 2003, the Federal Executive Council had directed the withdrawal of the Mambilla contract memorandum for renegotiation, a process they said was never concluded.
They added that testimonies presented in court had also pointed to gaps in critical agreements, which significantly contributed to the prolonged delay of the project.
The stakeholders also recalled that in September 2021, former President Muhammadu Buhari relieved two ministers of their duties, including Engr. Mamman, noting that no official statement linked his removal to the Mambilla project or allegations of corruption.
They further defended his record in office, stating that despite the challenges in the power sector, Mamman’s tenure witnessed the completion of the 700-megawatt Zungeru Hydropower Project, which is now connected to the national grid.
“Despite sector-wide challenges, Engr. Sale Mamman’s tenure saw the completion of the 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Project, now on the national grid—an indication of his experience in handling large-scale infrastructure,” the statement added.
The stakeholders maintained that while Tarabans deserve transparency regarding public projects, they also deserve fairness and factual representation.
“Tarabans deserve transparency, but they also deserve fairness. The Mambilla project is a complex, decades-long undertaking that cannot reasonably be attributed to one individual’s tenure.
“Engr. Mamman should be allowed to face due process, while the public assesses his record and future aspirations based on facts, not misplaced blame,” the statement concluded.
