The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called for the arrest and prosecution of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
This is as the council also called on Atiku to withdraw from the presidential contest, arguing that he was morally deficient to run for the post.
The council made the call on Monday at a press conference addressed in Abuja by the Director, Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN.
Keyamo was in the company of the Special Adviser, Media, Communications and Public Affairs, Mr. Dele Alake; Director, Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga; Director, Special Media Projects/New Media, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, and Director, Strategic Communications, Alhaji Idris Mohammed.
The council based the call on the allegation of corruption made by one Mr. Michael Achimugu, described as a whistle-blower, against Atiku.
Atiku’s offences, it was said, bordered on criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and offences against the code of conduct for public officers among others.
The council said Atiku should be prosecuted as being a presidential candidate did not grant him immunity from prosecution.
Said the council: “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 sacred. The facts so far presented to the world clearly indicate that Atiku Abubakar has a case to answer. In other climes when such serious allegations arose in the middle of campaigns, the law-enforcement agencies acted decisively. You may recall that, in 2016, in the middle of campaigns for the exalted office of the Presidency of the United States, the FBI opened investigation into allegation of misuse of private emails against Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State. In fact, the case was referred to the Justice Department for likely prosecution few weeks to actual voting. Though, she was later cleared, it bears restating that a sane and dispassionate system never allowed such side talks to dissuade or distract them from initiating a process of investigation. It is the minimum expected in a constitutional democracy. That is what we call on the authorities to do in the case of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”
The council said further: “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 the law enforcement agencies.”
