The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the immediate past President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki has tackled the All Progressives Congress (APC) for linking them to a suspected cyber-criminal, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas (a.k.a. Hushpuppi).
In a statement by its spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, on Saturday, the APC asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other sister agencies to investigate some PDP leaders and financiers.
The APC noted that the PDP leadership turned Dubai into their strategic meeting place ahead of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, adding that Hushpuppi’s affinity with the PDP leadership was not mere coincidence.
However, in reaction through his media aide, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki accused the APC of playing irresponsible and cheap politics that had weakened ongoing efforts against corruption.
He said: “The statement credited to the APC, the ruling party in our country, is one of the ways by which our anti-graft agencies are weakened, why the fight against corruption in the country is often viewed with suspicion by the international community.
“This is because when these cyber-crime suspects were operating freely and openly displaying wealth, the APC saw nothing bad in their activities. Also, the party at that time did not deem it necessary to call on the anti-graft agencies to investigate their activities.
“Also, since the arrest of those cybercrime suspects and the subsequent damage to the image and the economy of Nigeria as well as the crisis it created for Nigerians engaged in lawful businesses across the world, the ruling party had been muted.
“The only time the APC deemed it necessary to make a statement was when it thought it should play dirty, cheap, and irresponsible politics. At this point, we call on the APC to rein in the so-called Yekini Nabena and compel him to desist from making and circulating such malicious claims.”
Abubakar, though his media adviser, Paul Ibe, said his principal didn’t meet with the suspected cybercriminal, hedging that it was only “a mere photo-op.”
“We would advise the APC and Mr. Nabena to be very mindful of such senseless statements in the future especially as the case under reference is a subject of litigation in another country,” the statement read.
“Had they been more sensitive, they would have come to terms with the reality that the case is a national embarrassment – not something to cheer about for any political blackmail.”
