Polls: Atiku Raises Alarm Over Arrest Of Son-in-Law, Inaugurates Legal Team

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Saturday, March 2nd, 2019

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has raised the alarm that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested his son-in-law, Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi.

He disclosed this later Saturday, alleging that Abdullahi, who is also the finance director of Atiku’s group of companies, was arrested by not less than 24 operatives of the Commission.

Atiku claimed that the EFCC officials in two regular vehicles – an 18-seater Toyota bus with registration Abuja CS 522 RSH and a Hilux invaded the Maitama residence of Abdullahi about 8.30am on Saturday.

Atiku in a statement by his media Adviser Mr Paul Ibe, indicated that the EFCC officials were, not given access into the house until Abdullahi’s lawyers arrived.

“In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, officials of 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.

“The EFCC agents numbering about two dozens came in two 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.

“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. It was gathered that the petition relied upon to invade the residence and office of Babalele was authored by a brother of the wife of President Buhari’’ the statement said.

Atiku claimed he recognised the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but would not be intimidated by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.

He assured Nigerians that under no circumstance would he mortgage what he called the mandate of Nigerians which was freely expressed on Saturday, February 23.

Meanwhile, Atiku has inaugurated a legal team to challenge the outcome of the February 23 presidential poll in court. Ibe, also confirmed this in a statement he issued on Saturday.

The legal team according to Ibe is headed by Livy Uzoukwu, (SAN).

“I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved.

“I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably is once again being called upon to deliver judgment on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power’’ the statement indicated.

INEC declared President Buhari the winner of last Presidential Election. He defeated Atiku with over 15 million votes as against Atiku who polled over 11 million votes.

The PDP candidate has insisted the poll was rigged, claiming that his mandate was stolen.