The World Anti-Corruption Research Network has asked the attorney-general of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to disallow Atiku Abubakar from contesting in Saturday’s presidential election.
The
UK-based group in the petition dated February 20, 2019, said it is
worried about Atiku’s candidacy which “poses a security risk to the
country”.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), has had multiple criminal investigations over
the last decade, the group said.
“The major heads of our concern
against this candidate are twofold,” read the petition, signed by Gbenga
Oduntan on behalf of two other group — HEDA, led by Olanrewaju Suraj,
and The Corner House, headed by Nicholas Hildyard.
“In view of
the available open-source evidence, he is, in our opinion not fit and
proper person and shouldn’t therefore, not be allowed to contest and/or
enter into the most exalted office of the land in any country, let alone
in Nigeria which has been addressing severe transparency challenges.”
The group listed the alleged bribery and money laundering cases involving the former vice-president.
Atiku
had been accused of demanding a bribe of $500,000 to facilitate the
award of contracts to two American telecommunication firms in Nigeria
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had also searched his
residence in the US but no money was found.
The investigators had
videotaped William Jefferson, who was the congressman representing
Louisiana, receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills which he claimed was
meant for Atiku, but the PDP’s candidate has consistently denied the
allegation.
“Atiku Abubakar’s exposure to the United States
criminal justice system over the last decade gives the United States
government near complete leverage over him,” the group said while
listing the security implications should he emerge Nigeria’s president.
“It
is extremely easy to compromise someone who has put himself in this
position through blackmail. The threat of releasing damaging revelations
and evidence kept on file against him over the years is a clear and
present danger.
“The use of Kompromat on foreign leaders in
international relations is alive and well and is, in fact, topical in
relation to the United States history and current national life.”
The group said Atiku’s presidency would be vulnerable and be easily exploited by the US.
For 13 years, Atiku could not enter the US but he was eventually granted a visa in December.
His
subsequent visit to the US was a boast to his campaign but the group
said his visit, allegedly facilitated by US lobbyists, is an indication
of collusion between his campaign and foreign elements and this makes
his candidacy a risky one on Nigeria.
The group called on
security agencies, academia, lawyers to engage in an interdisciplinary
study of the business and any other connections between Atiku and the
US.
“In addition to the need to avoid allowing an easily
compromised person to become President of Nigeria upon whom illegal
leverage may be exercised, there is the urgent need to consider the
implications for Nigeria’s image to install a President like Atiku
Abubakar in view of the country’s avowed interests to abandon the brand
of being a ‘fantastically corrupt state’,” it said.
Atiku is the
major challenger of President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the election holding on Saturday.
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