The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised the All Progressives Congress spokesman, Felix Morka, over his recent comments about former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of relying on allegations and political rhetoric rather than documented evidence.
The council, through its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, said Morka’s comments failed to address Nigerians’ concerns over the rising cost of food, fuel, transportation and electricity.
“Morka has become an untutored spin doctor for a party caught in the conundrum of a sinking regime,” Shaibu said.
He challenged Morka to produce any court judgment convicting Atiku of wrongdoing, if such a judgment exists.
Shaibu also questioned the APC’s criticism of Atiku’s record while referring to the 1993 United States civil forfeiture involving $460,000 in funds associated with President Bola Tinubu.
The forfeiture followed a wider US investigation into alleged narcotics trafficking. Court records cited in reports on the case said investigators alleged probable cause that funds in accounts controlled by Tinubu were connected to transactions involving proceeds of drug trafficking.
Tinubu has denied wrongdoing and was never criminally charged or convicted in the matter.
Shaibu urged the APC to allow Nigerians to examine the relevant records, including documents at the centre of ongoing litigation involving the FBI and other US agencies.
The current US case is a civil records-disclosure dispute under the Freedom of Information Act.
The FBI has submitted hundreds of pages of records to a federal court, but the documents remain under seal pending a decision on what can be released or redacted.
“The records concern an investigation. Both facts can be true at once. A press statement from Abuja cannot erase a finding in a Washington courtroom,” Shaibu said.
The council also referenced Tinubu’s appearance before Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal in 2011 over allegations concerning foreign bank accounts while he was governor of Lagos State.
The charges were struck out after the tribunal found that the Code of Conduct Bureau had failed to follow the required procedure.
On Tinubu’s educational records, Shaibu cited discrepancies that have previously been the subject of public and legal scrutiny, including differences in records relating to his educational history.
He also disputed Morka’s interpretation of the recent International Chamber of Commerce arbitration over the Mambilla power project.
The ICC tribunal examined a $500,000 payment made by Leno Adesanya, promoter of Sunrise Power, to Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, Atiku’s former wife.
The tribunal said Adesanya had not provided sufficient documentary evidence to support his explanation that the payment was a legitimate foreign-exchange transaction and described aspects of the circumstances as raising “significant red flags.”
However, the tribunal also stated that there was no evidence in the arbitration record that Atiku had actually used his official position in a manner that facilitated the award of the Mambilla contract to Sunrise.
Shaibu therefore accused Morka of misrepresenting the tribunal’s observations as a corruption conviction against Atiku.
“Morka may raise each matter. He may not strip away the report’s distinctions and present the resulting fiction as a judgment against Atiku,” he said.
The ADC council also disputed Morka’s claim about Nigeria’s foreign reserves, saying the APC spokesman had misrepresented the figures available when Tinubu assumed office.
According to Shaibu, the Central Bank of Nigeria reported foreign reserves of $34.39 billion at the end of May 2023, rather than the $3 billion figure cited by Morka.
“Morka simply deleted more than $31 billion from what Tinubu inherited, then invited Nigerians to applaud the ‘miracle’ that followed,” Shaibu said.
On fuel subsidy, the council said Atiku’s proposal would target petroleum products refined in Nigeria and was intended to reduce costs for consumers.
It also highlighted Atiku’s record as vice president, including his role in the Universal Basic Education programme and the National Council on Privatisation.
“Tinubu has governed for more than three years. Nigerians can assess his leadership every time they buy food, pay for transport or settle an electricity bill,” Shaibu said.
The council called on the APC and Tinubu to respond to questions surrounding the various records cited in its statement.
“Let the relevant FBI records be released, with lawful protections for confidential sources and other individuals. Let Tinubu answer the questions their contents raise,” Shaibu said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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