March 28, (THEWILL) – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has refuted reports that he collected money from Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his 2023 presidential election campaign.
Speaking in a statement signed on Thursday, through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the report as a piece of kindergarten propaganda, a blatant lie and a futile campaign of calumny aimed at advancing the political interests of President Bola Tinubu.
Denying any connection with Governor Sanwo-Olu, the statement said the former vice president has never met with the Lagos governor.
“Let it be known that this is a blatant lie from the pit of hell, a contrived political hogwash, and a futile campaign of calumny aimed at advancing the political interests of President Bola A. Tinubu.
“It may interest Nigerians to note that the Waziri of Adamawa does not know Gov. Sanwo-Olu and, indeed, has never met him before.
“This piece of kindergarten propaganda is beneath the camp of Tinubu. How is it possible for an Atiku who does not know and has no connection with Sanwo-Olu to be having a transaction with him involving the exchange of money — let alone during the presidential election of 2023 in which his boss was a contestant? To what end would that be?
“Indeed, their strategy is two-fold: get rid of Sanwo-Olu and discredit the coalition being put together by the opposition political leaders, of which Atiku Abubakar is a key stakeholder.
“To even underscore how poor the propaganda is, an unnamed Sanwo-Olu aide is quoted in the news story trashing his principal and adding fuel to the fire. Pray, who does that?
“This voyage of misadventure and campaign of calumny against the person and reputation of Atiku Abubakar must be halted immediately and with alacrity too”, he said.
Atiku challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which has been linked to an investigation into the claims, to make public its findings, stressing that the matter was being used as a political tool.
“Since the EFCC has been drawn into this controversy, we challenge the agency to disclose the outcome of its alleged investigation. The Nigerian public, including Atiku and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, deserve transparency.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
