PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the fresh allegations made against him by the federal government.
Mr Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has reacted to fresh corruption allegations made by the federal government.
Premium Times reports that, Mr Abubakar in a statement on Friday, dismissed as ‘cock and bull story’, the allegation by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Friday, that he (Atiku) has a case to answer over the collapse of Platinum Habib Bank, Bank PHB.
Premum Times reported the allegation by Mr Mohammed, who said Mr Abubakar would be questioned by anti-corruption agencies when he returns to the country.
Mr Abubakar, however, challenged the federal government to either prove his alleged corrupt activities or forever remain quiet.
“It is disgusting to continue to spin allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.
Isn’t it a shame that the ruling party whose National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole only yesterday gave official confirmation to the general belief that, even if Lawrence Anini becomes an APC member today, Buhari will forgive and consecrate him can turn around to accuse me of corruption today?
”They just suddenly woke up to the reality that, their lies about Atiku being corrupt can no longer hold? I challenge the federal government to come up with evidence that I benefitted from N156 million slush funds through Claremont Management Services Account on 13th January, 2009 as well as the collapse of Bank PHB as they have alleged.
”It is instructive to note that, the same BankPHB is now Keystone bank which was said to have been acquired Buhari’s cronies through AMCON last year,” Mr Abubakar said.
The opposition candidate also said with or without a trip to the U.S., he will defeat the President Muhammadu Buhari at next month’s election.
Mr Abubakar visited the U.S. on Thursday after 12 years of ‘avoiding’ the nation over perceived graft issues.
He had not visited the U.S. since 2007 when he left as Nigeria’s vice-president. He served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Mr Obasanjo accused Mr Abubakar of fraud while in office, and he was also linked to corruption charges filed in the U.S. The politician denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
For the over 12 years that Mr Abubakar was unable to visit the U.S., American authorities had declined to issue him entry visa and there were speculations that a secret indictment had been entered against him by that country’s authorities
In the statement issued in Abuja on Friday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Mr Abubakar said the federal government should bury its head in shame ”having failed to stop him from travelling to the US”.