The Federal Government has alleged the involvement of the presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar in the collapse of the Bank PHD, former Habib Bank.
Minister of Information and Culutre, Lai Mohammed who said that Atiku has case to answer disclosed this to State House reporters today.
Atiku left the country yesterday for US to the disappointment of the federal government who had earlier said Atiku could not go to US for the fear of being arrested over corruption matters.
Lai said base on fresh evidence; Atiku must explain his role in the collapse of the defunct Bank PHB when he returns.
The government spokesperson said the government has in its position “paper trail which shows that he benefited from N156 million.”
Lai said the federal government has the account mandate, cheque and account statement showing Atiku as the signatory to the account that received part of the slush fund.
“We want him to stay in the US for as long as he wants but he has to explain to Nigerians when he returns.
“We are not perturbed about his trip. He can go ahead and get a US green card. That will not save him from imminent defeat in the forthcoming election,” he said.
However, the Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray Bruce has reacted to Federal Government’s plan to probe the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar over alleged fraud.
Reacting to the development, Bruce expressed disappointment, saying such disclosure was “pathetic.”
In a tweet, he wrote: “Bank PHB has been defunct for a decade, but it is the day after @atiku proved them wrong by coming to America that they suddenly remember that he has a case to answer?
“This is such a disappointment. I thought their fight back would be something smart. But this? This is pathetic!”
Similarly, the People Democratic Party, PDP, has also described the allegation as unfounded and condemned the federal government for raising irrelevant issues against its presidential candidate. PDP said federal government is jittery over Atiku’s visit to United States of America.
The United States Department of Justice had prior to Atiku travel to US, denied having any record that indicates that Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has a pending lawsuit in the US.
In an email to our correspondent on Friday, a spokesperson for the US DOJ, Peter Carr said, “Thank you for reaching out to us. I have checked the public court records, and they do not show cases filed against a defendant named Atiku Abubakar.”
