The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation, PPCO, on Thursday warned the Presidency against fabricating lies against its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
PPCO said Abubakar was a saint, adding that the former Vice President was absorbed of all allegations of fraud by the Chairman Buhari’s Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay and the United States Department of Justice after a thorough investigation.
In a statement titled ‘Buhari’s Corruption Attack on Atiku Is an Illusion’ signed by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, PPCO contended that even President Muhammadu Buhari who had been in office for three and half years, had never found anything incriminatory on Atiku.
The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari’s desperate corruption attack on its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is a mere illusion.
“It is however unfortunate that President Buhari will resort to sponsoring fabrications and false allegations against Atiku Abubakar just because he has is overwhelmed by Atiku’s soaring popularity and acceptance by Nigerians as their next President, come 2019.
“We wish to remind President Buhari, who has been unleashing his aides to attack our Presidential candidate, that Atiku Abubakar has never been charged, indicted nor convicted for any act of corruption by any competent authority whatsoever.
“Moreover, President Buhari has been in office for almost four years and has never found anything incriminatory on Atiku Abubakar that can warrant his prosecution despite being hounded under the Buhari administration.
“Perhaps, Mr. President needs to be reminded that even the Chairman of his Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, after their detailed scrutiny, announced that they found no evidence of corruption against Atiku Abubakar and consequently absolved him of all allegations.
“Furthermore, the United States Department of Justice had, in response to enquiry by a leading Nigerian newspaper in November of 2016, stated that, after scrutiny of public records, that there is no criminal case against Atiku Abubakar contrary to fabrications being promoted by the Buhari Presidency.
“Nigerians can also recall that on December 22, 2014, President Buhari in praising Atiku Abubakar’s immense business acumen, through which he provided employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians, described him as an “inspiration” and a man that has rendered ‘great service to Nigeria’.
“Besides, because of President Buhari’s limited exposure, corrupt tendencies and manifest managerial incompetence, he is always fixated in his myopic creed that nobody can be successful except through corrupt enrichment.
“It is therefore unfortunate that President Buhari has now resorted to sponsoring fabrications and false allegations against Atiku Abubakar just because he has become overwhelmed by Atiku’s soaring popularity and acceptance by Nigerians as their next President, come 2019.
“We are aware that all the shenanigans being employed by the Buhari Presidency are designed to divert attention from the main issue of President Buhari’s woeful failure and the corruption in his Presidency.”
