Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC says it will take steps in the next few days to seek the disqualification of the Presidential Candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar in court.
The Director, Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo stated this at a press briefing at the campaign headquarters in Abuja.
The APC is seeking disqualification of Atiku based on the alleged corruption allegation regarding “Special Purpose Vehicle” against him by one of his former aides Michael Achimugu.
Recall that a few days ago Mr. Achimugu released a viral audio where Atiku who was a former Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 was heard narrating how he took charge of setting up onshore shell businesses called “Special Purpose Vehicle ” SPV to serve as a conduit for syphoning significant sums from public works contracts for himself and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The APC also called on the PDP Presidential Candidate to apologise to Nigerians and immediately step down from the presidential race.
“In the light of these very grave revelations, we call on Atiku Abubakar to immediately tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian people and step down from the presidential race forthwith, whilst handing himself over to law enforcement agencies.
“We shall clearly take steps in the next few days to initiate a judicial process seeking the outright disqualification of Atiku Abubakar from the race based on these facts” Keyamo said.
The party urged law enforcement agencies to investigate one of the shell accounts mentioned in the audio conversation – Marine Float and recover all monies in that account.
The APC also called on law enforcement and anti-graft agencies to abide by the laws of a constitutional democracy and investigate the PDP Presidential Candidate.
“We understand that the law enforcement agencies may be reluctant to act simply because of the perception of persecution of a presidential candidate that this may evoke. However facts are scared” APC said.
Nigeria’s governing party further accused the media of “conspiratorial” silence regarding the issue adding that the media “zealously feasted” on drug deal allegations leveled at its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu but however stayed silent about over a grave issue such as this.
“We are disillusioned but not surprised at the conspiratorial silence of a section of the media over this grave issue of National importance. Even after seeing court processes in form of a sworn affidavit, we observed an embarrassing silence yet from a section of the media. We have consistently made our case against the unethical and partisan antics of some media houses and this development vindicates us” the party said.
They further appealed to law enforcement to protect the whistle blower Michael Achimugu.
Among the documents presented by the APC to journalists were copies of court affidavit by Mr. Achimugu, the transcribed version of the audio conversation between Atiku and Achimugu as well as Achimugu’s appointment letter as Director Media to Atiku Support Organisation.
