Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to produce evidence linking him to any wrongdoing in the controversial $16 billion power projects and other allegations surrounding the privatisation of public assets.
Atiku also demanded a detailed account of the funds generated since the removal of petrol subsidy, asking the Federal Government to explain how the additional revenues and alleged savings have been utilised.
The former Vice President made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
Atiku said old allegations against him were being revived to divert attention from questions over the management of public resources and the economic hardship confronting Nigerians.
He challenged the Federal Government and its supporters to stop trading accusations in the media and submit any evidence of wrongdoing against him to the appropriate investigative agencies.
“The National Assembly investigated the power projects. I was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing,” Atiku said.
He explained that although he chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President, he did not preside over the implementation of the power projects, saying the responsible minister handled the process.
“Yes, I chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President. But on the power project, I disagreed with its concept and did not preside over its implementation. The responsible minister did,” he said.
Atiku also referred to allegations surrounding the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, saying he had consistently made himself available for investigation.
“I have repeatedly asked to be investigated. I left office in 2007 and have spent much of the period since then opposing governments in power. If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it before a court?” he asked.
The former Vice President challenged the government to investigate and prosecute him if it had evidence against him, insisting that allegations should not be used as a substitute for due process.
“It is still not too late. Investigate me. Invite me. Produce the evidence. Prosecute me if you have a case. But propaganda cannot substitute for evidence,” he said.
Atiku argued that the renewed attention on the old allegations was connected to his persistent calls for transparency over the revenues generated after the removal of petrol subsidy.
According to him, Nigerians were asked to endure higher fuel, transportation and food costs on the promise that subsidy removal would free resources for infrastructure, social investment and economic development.
“They removed subsidy from the poor and promised that the sacrifice would free resources for development. Nigerians accepted extraordinary pain on that promise,” he said.
He noted that while the cost of living had continued to rise and the purchasing power of workers had been weakened, government revenues had increased.
Atiku questioned the transparency surrounding the use of the additional revenues, particularly as government continued to provide fiscal incentives, waivers, tax credits and concessions to major economic interests.
“So our question remains brutally simple: WHERE IS THE PEOPLE’S MONEY?” he asked.
The former Vice President said Nigerians deserved a comprehensive account of the savings and additional revenues generated since the removal of subsidy, including details of how the funds had been allocated, spent or invested.
He also rejected what he described as attempts to intimidate him into abandoning his demand for accountability.
Atiku insisted that allegations against him should either be established through due process or dropped.
“The people who removed subsidy from the poor cannot frighten us into silence by resurrecting allegations that governments with all the investigative machinery of the Nigerian state have had nearly two decades to establish,” he said.
He challenged the Federal Government to either produce evidence against him or focus on answering questions about public finances.
“If you have evidence against Atiku, bring it. If you have a case, prosecute it. But if you have neither, stop manufacturing distractions and answer Nigerians.
“You removed the subsidy. You collected the savings. WHERE IS THE MONEY?” he asked.
