Aides arrest: Atiku accuses FG of political persecution

Following the arrest and detention of his lawyer, Uyi Giwa-Osagie, and his son-in-law, Babalele Abdullahi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has accused the federal government of political persecution.

Uyi was picked up about three weeks ago while Abdullahi was arrested over the weekend.

But Atiku has now cried out saying that the government is in place not just to protect its supporters but to ensure justice for all citizens.

In a tweet on his personal handle, @Atiku, on Monday, said the arrested persons were paying the price for supporting him.

“My son in law and lawyer have been detained, one for 3 weeks and the other recently. They are paying the price for supporting me. I urge those now persecuting them to remember that a government’s mandate is to pursue peace and justice for all, and not just those who support them,” he tweeted.

The presidential candidate of the PDP  had on Saturday alleged that Abdullahi, who is also the director of finance of his group of businesses, had been arrested by men of the EFCC in an attempt to pressure him to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari over the presidential election.

The former Vice President had however vowed that no amount of blackmail would cause him to abandon the mandate which he said was freely given by the people of Nigeria.

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In a statement issued in Abuja by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the main opposition party flag bearer said based on a petition written by a brother of the wife of the president, the EFCC invaded the residence and office of the finance director but found nothing incriminating.

He revealed that they, however, took away documents for a landed property before taking him to the commission’s office where they took his statement.

Atiku’s media aide said in the statement: “Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, assures Nigerians that under no circumstance will he mortgage the mandate of Nigerians as freely expressed on the 23rd of February, 2019.

“This assurance comes against the backdrop of the invasion and arrest of Alhaji Babalele Abdullahi, son-in-law and finance director of his group of companies in Abuja on Saturday, 2 March 2019

“In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30amtoday (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 dozen came in 2 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

“As a law-abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognizes the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.”