We’ll Quiz Atiku When He Comes Back From US. THE Federal Government has told the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who is presently on a visit to the United States of America, to return home and explain his role in the collapse of Bank PHB.
THE Federal Government has told the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who is presently on a visit to the United States of America, to return home and explain his role in the collapse of Bank PHB.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, alleged that the former vice president benefited to the tune of N156 million slush money through Claremont Management Services Account on 13 January, 2009 which led to the collapse of the bank.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government was not concerned about Atiku’s trip but was keen to hear his defence of the corruption that led to the failure of the bank, adding: “If he likes, he can stay there and obtain the American Green Card.”
The PDP presidential standard-bearer travelled to the US on Thursday for the first time in 13 years, having been initially barred by the country’s authorities.
Mohammed had earlier admonished the US authorities not to issue visa to the former vice president so close to the election as it might be perceived as America’s support for him.
The minister said in 2009, a memo was raised for the issuance and payment of N156 million to Claremont Management Services account, saying that the onus was on Atiku to prove himself innocent.
“I have come to make a few remarks about the recent visit of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party to the US.
“You can recall that a few weeks ago, I did issue a statement advising the US government not to issue visa to Atiku.
“Remember also that in that same press conference, I also stated that it remains the prerogative of the US government to issue visa to anyone it deems fit.
“Let me say right away that we are not perturbed one bit that Alhaji Atiku Abukakar was able to secure visa to the US. As a matter of fact, he can go ahead and get the US Green Card. That will not save him from imminent defeat in the forthcoming election.
“I want to remind Abubakar that the elections will be right here in Nigeria and not in the US.
“In any event, any time Abubakar returns home, he has questions to answer following the fresh evidence that we have that he benefitted from slush funds that led to the collapse of the former Bank PHB.
“The document we have shows that he benefitted to the tune of N156 million from that slush fund.
“The paper which we have here started from an internal memo on January 13, 2009, which reads, ‘please refer for discussion your requested overdraft in favour of Atiku Abubakar for N156 million and deliver same to me. Please note that it must be delivered today (January 13) on the same date.’”
He further stated that another memo was generated to confirm the receipt of the alleged slush fund.
Mohammed said the memo read: “Please, confirm that the amount stated below be issued from Claremont Management Services account.”
He said: “And we have evidence here of the account mandate, the name of Atiku Abubakar. We also have a copy of the cheque in which the sum of N156 million was issued to Atiku Abubakar dated Jan. 13, 2009.
“And of course we also have statement of account within that period that confirms that this sum was actually paid into his account.
“These are fresh evidence as to his involvement in the collapse of Bank PHB. So, we want him to stay as long he wants in the US. But as soon he comes back, he has to explain to the electorate and to Nigerians what was his role in the collapse in the former Bank PHB.”
When pressed to say if the ruling APC government was disturbed about Atiku’s visit to the US, he said, “He can go ahead and get the US Green Card, anytime he comes back, has questions to answer.”
