Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has denied a report that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), an agency of the U.S. Department of Treasury, placed him and his family members under close watch over alleged financial fraud.

Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 general elections, gave the clarification in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Paul Ibe, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Ibe said his principal’s attention had been drawn to recycled and regurgitated lies about the person of Abubakar.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar is not under any U.S. watch list, neither has he been charged, or will ever be charged by the US Justice Department or any other in a foreign jurisdiction.

“It will be recalled that these recycled lies were re-unearthed just before the Feb. 23, 2019 Presidential election, and to put paid to it, Abubakar applied for and received a U.S. visa, whereupon he embarked on a visit to the US on Jan. 17, 2019.

“He stayed at a hotel just miles to the United States Department of Justice.

“Abubakar in the course of that trip was also received in audience by officials of the United States Government,” Ibe said.

He said that the new reports were a desperate gambit to recast these discredited accusations.

“They are meant to divert the attention of Nigerians from the recent statement by the Secretary of State of the United States, Mr Mike Pompeo, announcing visa and travel bans for certain unnamed but notorious individuals.

“Moreover, the timing of this report, less than 24 hours after the Edo state gubernatorial elections, should give some thought to thinking people.

“And considering the season that we are in, more of such jaundiced stories seeking to discredit Abubakar would come.”

Ibe reiterated that Abubakar and every member of his family kept a clean business portfolio that had nothing to do with government resources and in conformity with local and foreign laws of respective countries.

Pin It

Comments (0)

    Attach images by dragging & dropping or by selecting them.
    The maximum file size for uploads is 10MB. Only gif,jpg,png files are allowed.
     
    The maximum number of 3 allowed files to upload has been reached. If you want to upload more files you have to delete one of the existing uploaded files first.
    The maximum number of 3 allowed files to upload has been reached. If you want to upload more files you have to delete one of the existing uploaded files first.
    Posting as

    Comments powered by CComment

    Footer Logo

    Midlandpost is a market place of ideas with a broad based focus

    We provide hard news, interpretative features and opinions in the best journalistic tradition of fairness, balance, objectivity and accuracy. 

    EDITOR’S PICK

    RANDOM NEWS

    Subscribe to our newsletter