The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has asked the security agencies in the country to arrest and prosecute Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for alleged corruption.
The campaign council disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
The party alleged that the former Vice President was indicted in an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, a former aide to Abubakar, last week.
Atiku was alleged to have explained how some organisations were set up to divert public funds in the audio.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson of the council, asked the law enforcement agents to arrest and prosecute Atiku adding that he had a case to answer.
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According to Keyamo, “Atiku does not enjoy immunity because he is a presidential candidate. We are saying this because they may be reluctant to act on the perception of the persecution of a presidential candidate it may invoke. However, facts are sacred.
“In other serious climes where situations like this arose, the law enforcement agencies acted decisively. You may recall in 2016, in the middle of campaigns for the exalted office of president in the US, the case of the private email of Hilary Clinton was referred to the justice department for likely prosecution a few weeks to actual voting, though she was actually cleared.
“That is what we want the authorities to do in the case of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He has to be arrested, invited. He is not God. He does not enjoy immunity because he is a candidate.
“All monies should be recovered from the marine float account. In the voice note, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar can be heard boasting that the issue of that account was thoroughly investigated by the EFCC, yet he was smart enough to escape.
“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.
“In the light of these grave allegations, 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 the law enforcement agencies “
Keyamo also accused Atiku of returning N500 million that he allegedly took from the account when he had a disagreement with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He also called for the protection of the whistleblower who exposed the deal.
Keyamo said “We also call for the protection of the whistleblower. When President Muhammadu Buhari came to office, one significant policy he adopted was that of whistleblowing,” he said. “You are all aware that the policy has recorded tremendous success with the recovery of millions of dollars from hidden sources. No harm must befall him or members of his family.”
He said Atiku had committed an offence against the Code of Conduct for public officers.
The PDP and its candidate, Atiku, had yet to react to the latest string of corruption allegations.
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