APC PCC seeks Atiku’s arrest, probe for fraud within 72 hours

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) yesterday called for the arrest, interrogation and prosecution of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The call followed allegations of corruption and using “Special Purpose Vehicles” (SPVs) between 1999 and 2007.

The council also asked the PDP flag bearer to apologise to Nigerians and step down from the February 25 presidential election due to the allegations and the evidence against him.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), also gave the three anti-graft agencies 72 hours ultimatum for Atiku’s arrest, interrogation and prosecution.

He threatened to go to court if Atiku is not investigated and prosecuted.

But, the PDP fired back, saying that its candidate will not withdraw from the race.

The five-page petition dated January 16, 2023, to the Chairmen, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) accused Atiku of four major infractions.

The APC-PCC alleged that Atiku colluded to fleece the country of public funds, using what he termed as SPVs.

At a World Press Conference addressed by the media directors at the PCC Headquarters in Abuja, the council said the offences should not be ignored.

The chief spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs, Keyamo, alluded to the revelations by a whistle-blower, Mr Micheal Achimugu, about how the former Vice President, through SPVs, defrauded and fleeced the nation’s funds to run the opposition party while he was in office between 1999 and 2007.

Keyamo alleged that Atiku colluded with his former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, “to fleece the country and steal public funds, using what he termed SPVs.”

He said: “Those SPVs were companies Atiku admittedly registered upon assumption of office as vice-president (with the approval of President Olusegun Obasanjo), using ‘trusted allies’ as shareholders and directors.

“The purpose was to divert government contracts to these companies as ‘consultants’ and then pay monies into these companies and use those monies to fund the PDP and their private businesses and family activities.”

He added: “We can all vividly recall that during that tenure, both President Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar built the Bells University and American University respectively. Now, we know from where the funds came.”

From the oral account of the whistle-blower, the voice notes and all other supporting documents, Keyamo listed the infractions of the law by Atiku:

Offences against the Code of Conduct for Public Officers

Sections 5, 10, 13 & 17 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act state as follows:

• A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.

• A public officer shall not ask for or accept property or benefits of any kind for himself or any other person on account of anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties.

• For subsection (1) of this section, the receipt by a public officer of any gifts or benefits from commercial firms, business enterprises or persons who have contracts with the government shall be presumed to have been received in contravention of the said subsection (1) of this section, unless the contrary is proved.

• A public officer shall not do or direct to be done, in abuse of his office, any act prejudicial to the rights of any other person, knowing that such act is unlawful or contrary to any government policy.

• A public officer who does any act prohibited by this Act through a nominee, trustee or another agent shall be deemed ipso facto to have committed a breach of this Act.”

Offence of money laundering

Section 18 (2) of The Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition Act), 2022 provides: “Any person or body corporate, in or outside Nigeria, who directly or indirectly

(a) conceals or disguises the origin of,

(b) converts or transfers,

(c) removes from the jurisdiction, or

(d) acquires, uses, retains or takes possession or control of any fund or property, intentionally, knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such fund or property is, or forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, commits an offence of money laundering under this Act.”

Offence of criminal breach of trust

Section 311 of the Penal Code Law reads: ”Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property or with any dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his use that property or dishonestly uses or disposes of that property in violation of any direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged or of any legal contract express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge of such trust, or wilfully suffers any other person so to do, commits criminal breach of trust.”

Offence of conspiracy

Section 96 (1) of The Penal Code Act provides: “When two or more persons, agree to do or cause to be done (a) an illegal act; or (b) an act which is not illegal by illegal means, such an agreement is called a criminal conspiracy.”

The APC PCC also called on security agencies to recover all the monies siphoned through all the pseudo companies floated as SPVs during 1999 and 2007.

Keyamo said: “Since the nation now knows that the Marine Float Account and other similar accounts were ‘SPV’ accounts, it follows that all payments made into that account were monies stolen from the public coffers.

“Therefore, we call on all security agencies to recover all monies withdrawn from that account by anyone for that matter.”

He urged the law-enforcement agencies to protect Achimugu, who has blown the whistle on Atiku.

Keyamo added: “No harm must befall him or members of his family. We suspect that some goons of Atiku Abubakar are planning to eliminate him and harm members of his family.

“We shall hold Atiku Abubakar responsible if anything befalls this patriotic Nigerian or members of his family.

“We also encourage him to reveal to Nigerians those ‘earth-shaking’ revelations he is withholding for the sake of this nation and the future of our children.”

The Special Adviser, Media, Communications, Public Affairs and Strategy, to the council, Mr Dele Alake, also decried what he called conspiratorial silence of a section of the media over the allegation against the PDP candidate.

At the conference were Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Director, New Media and Alhaji Idris Mohammed, Director, Strategic Communications.

Keyamo said: “Because this matter is of great national importance, I expect you to act with alacrity and a sense of duty within 72 hours of the receipt of this petition.

“If you (anti-graft agencies) fail, refuse and/or neglect to act, I shall be proceeding to court to compel you to act.”