Atiku has cases to answer to Nigeria’s teeming electorate-Braithwaite

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and spokesperson for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo has threatened to get a court injunction that will compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, INEC and other anticorruption agencies in the country to arrest the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar

This is coming off the back of shocking revelations made by a former aide to Mr. Atiku Abubakar bordering on money laundering and embezzlement of public funds.

The whistleblower known as Michael Achimugu alleged in an audio tape that a former Vice president laundered money through some companies regarded as special purpose vehicles using trusted allies as shareholders and directors.

Speaking on this, Spokesperson, media and publicity directorate of the Tinubu/Shettima grassroots Independent Campaign Council, Olumide Braithwaite said Festus Keyamo a senior advocate of Nigeria has taken the initiative in compelling legal processes against Atiku Abubakar.

He noted that ordinarily, in a society with laws, regulations and rules, antigraft agencies by themselves can initiate that process. But, It’s rather unfortunate that some of our agencies need some prompting and that is where the injunction that he is postulating comes from and he has to be commended.

Mr Braithwaithe said as an individual, as a Nigerian, one should feel incensed, you should have a sense of disgust and shock about the revelations that have become public with the Atikugate scandal.

He noted that the SPVs were created as a conduit to siphon money and to fund the PDP.

He added that certain percentage of the sale of crude oil is also set aside for the PDP.

“The corruption is established. It is without any doubt and the evidence that we have before us is also damning. I would like to see what response the PDP have made so far, as far as I’m concerned there’s been nothing. They’re going to be hard pushed to explain away some of the details that have now become public knowledge.

He added that this latest revelation is a continuation of a long line in the adult life of the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar of reputation, of corruption, of profligacy and mismanagement.

Mr Braithwaite recalled that as far as 1985 when Atiku Abubakar left the Customs Service under very dubious circumstances, according to information available is that he was dismissed under the Customs although it was later commuted to voluntary retirement at such an early age.

This was when he was in customs at Idi Iroko, borders. This is as far back as 1985 of course when he assumed office as the Vice President under a PDP, second to General Obasanjo, everyone saw how things played out.

He further said “there’s a Jefferson case in the US against him. There is the EFCC report under Nuhu Ribadu against the PTDF, the privatization, that report is valid and still gathering dust with the EFCC.

“Perhaps indeed an injunction of this nature will compel law enforcement agencies to do what they are mandated to do. It’s a cesspool of corruption and this is a man that is asking Nigerians to vote him in as the next president of this country.

“We don’t subscribe to this manner of actions, deliberate or otherwise, by leaders in government. And it is high time that our law enforcement agencies do what they are mandated to do.

“We are calling out Atiku Abubakar with all these allegations and evidences that have been pending, that have been stored up. So it is a welcome development, and every Nigerian should feel a sense of anger that revenues that were meant for this country are being diverted into private coffers.

Speaking on the sense of outrage, Mr Braithwaite said for too long the attitude of our societies simply just to slap them on the wrist. But this has not gotten us far, and we are where we are, and the world is watching, so we need to do the right thing in a more realistic sense.

“We know the challenges of the judiciary with regard to fast prosecution but I don’t think that’s too much for us to worry about. It’s the principle of the matter, a principle, and we have to uphold the law, and this is not something that we can simply sweep under the rug. It has to be faced head on and both criminally and civilly.

“There are offenses that have been contravened, and there are cases to be answered by Atiku Abubakar to the teeming millions of the electorate in this country.