Afrigather Festus Keyamo, the minister of state for labour and employment has given 72 hours ultimatum to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICP) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to arrest Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Folks Democratic Occasion (PDP) over alleged ‘prison breaches’.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) gave the ultimatum in a letter dated Monday, January 16 and addressed to the chairmen of EFCC, ICPC and CBC, a replica of which was sighted by journalists in Abuja.
The spokesperson of All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential marketing campaign council stated Atiku ought to be arrested and prosecuted for offences in opposition to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, Cash Laundering, Prison Breach of Belief and Prison Misappropriation, and Conspiracy.
Keyamo knowledgeable the businesses of grave revelations by a whistle-blower, Michael Achimugu, who in a trending video previously weeks offered oral proof as to how Atiku as vice chairman between 1999 and 2007, colluded along with his then boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, to fleece the nation and steal public funds utilizing what he termed “Particular Objective Automobiles” (SPVs).
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“These SPVs had been corporations Atiku admittedly registered upon assumption of workplace as Vice-President (with the approval of President Olusegun Obasanjo) utilizing “trusted allies” as shareholders and Administrators.
“The aim was to divert authorities contracts to those corporations as “consultants” after which paid monies into these corporations and used these monies to fund the PDP and their non-public companies and household actions.
“We will all vividly recall that in that tenure, each President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar constructed the Bells College and American College respectively. Now, we all know from the place the funds got here.
“We hereby make out there Licensed True Copies of the affidavit sworn to and launched to the general public by the whistleblower, Michael Achimugu, giving graphic particulars of all that transpired, together with connected paperwork. Allow us to additionally play to you the voice recording he did of Atiku Abubakar. Be aware that he offered the time of the decision, the cellphone quantity used and the emails instantly previous the decision,” the letter learn.
The APC marketing campaign spokesperson stated from the proof out there, Atiku be prosecuted for the violation of Sections 5, 10, 13 & 17 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act; Part 18 (2) of The Cash Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition Act), 2022, Part 311 of the Penal Code Legislation, and Part 96 (1) of The Penal Code Act In Nigeria.
In the meantime, the APC presidential marketing campaign council requested Atiku to right away tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerians and step down from the presidential race forthwith and hand himself over to the legislation enforcement businesses within the mild of these revelations.
The council made the decision at a press convention in Abuja, collectively addressed by the spokespersons of the council; Dele Alake, Keyamo, Bayo Onanuga, Femi Fani-Kayode and Idris Mohammed.
Based on them Atiku doesn’t take pleasure in any immunity and ought to be prosecuted with contemplation that he’s a presidential candidate.
“We perceive that the legislation enforcement businesses could also be reluctant to behave merely due to the notion of persecution of a Presidential candidate that this may occasionally evoke. Nevertheless, information are sacred. The information thus far introduced to the world clearly point out that Atiku Abubakar has a case to reply. In different climes when such critical allegations arose in the course of campaigns, the law-enforcement businesses acted decisively.
“Chances are you’ll recall that, in 2016, in the course of campaigns for the exalted workplace of the Presidency of america, the FBI opened an investigation into allegations of misuse of personal emails in opposition to Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State. In actual fact, the case was referred to the Justice Division for probably prosecution just a few weeks to precise voting.
“Although she was later cleared, it bears restating {that a} sane and dispassionate system by no means allowed such facet talks to dissuade or distract them from initiating a technique of investigation. It’s the minimal anticipated in a constitutional democracy. That’s what we name on the authorities to do within the case of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”
They stated the difficulty of the Marine Float Account just isn’t new to Nigerians and within the voice notice, launched by Achimugu, Atiku could be heard boasting that the difficulty of that account was completely investigated by EFCC, but then he was good sufficient to flee.
“Nevertheless, we notice that in 2006, on the peak of his public quarrel with Obasanjo over the sharing of cash, the identical PDP formally requested Atiku Abubakar to refund N500 million taken from that account.
“Within the circumstance, for the reason that nation now is aware of that the Marine Float Account and different comparable accounts had been ‘SPV’ accounts, it follows that every one funds made into that account had been monies stolen from the general public coffers. Subsequently, we name on all safety businesses to recuperate all monies withdrawn from that account by anybody for that matter,” the spokespersons stated.
Additionally they stated, between 1999 and 2007, Obasanjo and Atiku ran a prison enterprise and an empire of fraud in Abuja on the identical time Bola Tinubu was toiling very laborious, dutifully and meticulously laying the inspiration to rebuild Lagos State.
“Following these revelations, it turns into clear that Atiku Abubakar has completely nothing to marketing campaign on once more because the interval of 1999 – 2007 that he at all times depends on can now be described by Nigerians because the “SPV years” once they ran Nigeria aground.
“That while President Obasanjo and Atiku disadvantaged the great individuals of Lagos State their Native Authorities month-to-month allocations even after the Supreme Court docket ordered the discharge of the funds, they had been busy stealing the nation’s assets by stealth in Abuja.
“That the actual, darkish purpose for the seemingly irreconcilable quarrel between President Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar is disagreement over monies they each stole within the ‘SPV’ accounts at the moment,” the workforce added, calling for the safety of the whistleblower, Achimugu.
