Arrest of my finance director part of plot to make me concede- Atiku

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has described the arrest of Babalele Abdullahi, finance director of his group of companies, by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as part of the plot to make him concede the election.

Atiku, made the arrest known in a statement issued on his behalf by Paul Ibe, his media aide.

“In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30am today (Saturday) invaded the Maitama residence of Babalele. They were however not given access into the house until his lawyers arrived,” he said.

“The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in 2 regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus (registration Abuja CS 522 RSH) and a hilux van. They came with a search warrant to search the house and office of Babalele and found nothing incriminating.

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“They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there. However, they took away some documents of landed property.

“Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after the search.

“Afterwards, Babalele was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement alongside Mr. Lawan Ayuba.”

While stating that he learnt that the anti-graft agency acted based on a petition written by an in-law of the president, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate has however vowed not to be blackmailed into “mortgaging the mandate” Nigerians gave to him.

“As a law abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognizes the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate,” he said.

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