"The PPCO makes bold to state that Atiku Abubakar has nothing to do with the alleged issues leading to the collapse of Bank PHB, but an honest and hard working Nigerian who has no skeleton of any sort in his cupboard, unlike President Buhari, who is now entangled in series of corruption allegations."
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the plan of the Nigerian government to question its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over allegations of benefitting ilegally from the treasury.
Earlier on Friday, Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's Minister of Information, claimed that government had new evidence showing that Atiku received N156million slush funds in 2009, contributing to the collapse of Bank PHB. [story_link align="left"]66341[/story_link]
The Minister stressed that Atiku would be questioned when he returns from his current trip to the United States of America. [story_link align="left"]66325[/story_link]
However, the PDP has said the "heinous plot to frame" its candidate is "laughable".
A statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization on Friday read: "The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) describes as laughable, President Muhammadu Buhari’s heinous plot to frame the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, out of fear that he is already coasting to victory in the February 16 Presidential election.
"While we understand that President Buhari and his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) are jittery over Atiku Abubakar’s soaring popularity ahead of the elections, it is reprehensible that Mr. President will descend abysmally low to fabricate outright lies and falsehood in a bid to discredit a more qualified and acceptable Presidential candidate.
"The PPCO makes bold to state that Atiku Abubakar has nothing to do with the alleged issues leading to the collapse of Bank PHB, but an honest and hard working Nigerian who has no skeleton of any sort in his cupboard, unlike President Buhari, who is now entangled in series of corruption allegations.
"For emphasis, even the Chairman of President Buhari’s Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, had since told the world that the Buhari Presidency has searched everywhere and could not find anything incriminating on Atiku Abubakar. The world already knows that this attempt to mudsling our Presidential candidate is coming out of President Buhari’s frustration over Atiku Abubakar’s successful outing in the United States, for which the Buhari Presidency has gone into full hallucination.
"This is in addition to their frenzied face-saving effort to divert public attention from President Buhari’s humiliating appearances in the respective rallies and television shows he has had. The PPCO, however, counsels President Buhari and the APC to note that Nigerians can see through their lies, fabrications and frustration and that their scheme against Atiku Abubakar is already dead on arrival."
PDP has tasked Buhari to "open the books and provide explanation for the N9trillion stolen under his watch as Minister of Petroleum Resources as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo". The party also called for an "open inquest into the alleged involvement of his relations in the N1.032 trillion alleged corrupt acquisitions in 9Mobile and Keystone Bank PLC".