The spokesperson of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, says he would quit his role if Tinubu asks him to withdraw his court case against Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A video by a whistleblower, Michael Achimugu, who indicted Atiku, had recently surfaced on the internet.
Achimugu claimed that the former vice president used Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to usurp funds while in office between 1999 and 2007.
Keyamo had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to arrest the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.
The spokesperson, in a letter dated January 16, signed by him, said Atiku should be arrested, interrogated and prosecuted for alleged money laundering.
He also said Atiku should be interrogated for alleged “offences against Code of Conduct for Public Officers, offence of conspiracy, offence of criminal breach of Trust and criminal misappropriation.”
In a petition to the agencies, Keyamo said the revelations of whistleblower Achimugu implicated Atiku as siphoning public funds through proxies –”special purpose vehicles” while he was vice-president.
He asked the agencies to act on the petition or face a lawsuit.
He said: ”For about a week now, Nigerians have been in shock over the public revelations of a whistleblower, Mr. Michael Achimugu, who has provided the nation with evidence of letters of appointment by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, emails, documents, audio clips, sworn affidavit and his direct oral evidence as to how Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who happens to be the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during his tenure as Vice-President of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, colluded with his then boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, to fleece the country and steal public funds using what he termed as “Special Purpose Vehicles” (SPVs).
“Those SPVs were companies Atiku admittedly registered upon assumption of office as Vice-President (with the approval of President Olusegun Obasanjo) using “trusted allies” as shareholders and Directors.
“The purpose was to divert government contracts to these companies as “consultants” and then pay monies into these companies and use those monies to fund the PDP and their private businesses and family activities.
“I understand that the law-enforcement agencies may be reluctant to act simply because of the perception of persecution of a presidential candidate that this may evoke.
“However, facts are sacred. The facts so far presented to the world clearly indicate that Atiku Abubakar has a case to answer. In other climes when such serious allegations arose in the middle of campaigns, the law-enforcement agencies acted decisively.
“Recall, in 2016, in the middle of campaigns for the exalted office of the Presidency of the United States, the FBI opened investigation into allegation of misuse of private emails against Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State. In fact, the case was referred to the Justice Department for likely prosecution few weeks to actual voting.
“TAKE NOTICE that because this matter is of great national importance, I expect you to act with alacrity and a sense of duty within Seventy-Two (72) hours of the receipt of this petition.
“TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if you fail, refuse and/or neglect to act, I shall be proceeding to court to compel you to act.
“The ball is in your court and Nigerians are waiting and watching.”
However, appearing on Channels Television programme, ‘Politics Today’ on Tuesday, Keyamo said: “In the case when they challenged my principal (Bola Tinubu), when they brought up dead documents from the US, I said go to court. Come out with your full chest and go to court. Up until today, they ran away.
“I’m proceeding to court. And if Asiwaju says, ‘Festus, you’re diverting from my campaign, just campaign for me.’ I will say take your campaign because this is in national interest. I have taken it personal.”