Ayuba Sanusi
THE Presidency has described the allegations made by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on being the subject of an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation regarding unsubstantiated financial dealings involving Lagos State as baseless and distracting.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, said these claims, circulated through his media office, are false and reflect a troubling pattern of relying on social media gossip over substance. “It is disheartening that a politician of Atiku’s stature would lend credibility to baseless social media speculation to remain politically relevant”, Onanuga emphasized.
Eighteen-Eleven Media reports that the Adamawa State-born politician had in a statement endorsed by Mr Paul Ibe, his media aide, said it 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” that the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu through Ms Aisha Achimugu made available to Atiku Abubakar money purportedly belonging to Lagos State.
“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?
“We wish to, therefore, state emphatically and for the record that it is a political hatchet job aimed at providing a much-needed justification to jettison Governor Sanwo-Olu, who appears to have fallen out of favour with the “Bourdillon Cult.”
However, President Tinubu, in his rebuttal maintains that he remains focused on addressing critical national challenges and advancing his administration’s agenda for Nigeria’s growth and stability. He said he has neither the time nor the inclination to engage in petty political distractions.
“Atiku’s allegations are infantile and a transparent ploy to deflect from his political setbacks. His repeated attempts to drag the Presidency and now the Lagos State government into fabricated controversies reveal a desperate bid for attention amid his fading attempt to cobble a coalition.
“Since his defeat in the 2023 presidential election, the former Vice President has failed to rise to the dignified role of an elder statesman. Rather than contributing constructively to the national discourse, he has chosen the path of divisive rhetoric and unfounded accusations.
“We urge Atiku Abubakar to redirect his energy toward initiatives that foster unity, economic progress, and democratic stability — qualities Nigeria urgently needs.
“Lastly, the former Vice President should know that the EFCC, as an independent institution, operates within its statutory mandate without external influence. Any insinuation otherwise is a disservice to the agency’s professionalism and the rule of law.
“The Presidency remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of national development — priorities that demand our undivided attention”.
Eighteen-Eleven Media