The media team of the Atiku Abubakar campaign organisation has accused the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to adequately address corruption and alleged that corruption has become institutionalised under the government.
The campaign organisation made the allegation in a statement signed by Paul Ibe, spokesperson for the former Vice President and then presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
The statement raised 10 questions for President Buhari, following the appearance of his former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at the Presidential Villa in December 2018.
According to the campaign team, Lawal attended the launch of the “Together Nigeria” initiative organised by the Buhari Support Organisation.
The team questioned the decision to receive Lawal at the Presidential Villa, citing the corruption allegations that had previously been levelled against him.
It said the development was troubling, particularly because Lawal had been removed from office following allegations surrounding contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE).
The campaign also cited Nigeria’s ranking in Transparency International’s 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, arguing that the country’s position had worsened compared with the previous administration.
The organisation then raised a series of questions concerning alleged corruption cases and financial decisions under the Buhari administration.
Among the issues raised were the reinstatement and promotion of former civil servant Abdulrasheed Maina; the ownership of the funds recovered from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos; and allegations involving the former aide-de-camp to the First Lady.
The campaign also questioned the handling of alleged irregularities surrounding NNPC contracts worth billions of dollars and asked why certain officials accused of wrongdoing had not been prosecuted.
It further demanded to know when Babachir Lawal would face prosecution over the allegations against him.
The statement also questioned the increase in fuel subsidy payments despite changes in petrol prices and raised concerns over the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf.
Another issue raised by the campaign concerned security spending.
According to the statement, Transparency International had raised concerns about an increase in Nigeria’s security vote, while the country continued to face attacks by insurgents.
The campaign also referred to the reported withdrawal of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to support the fight against terrorism.
It questioned the withdrawal in the wake of military setbacks, including the attack on troops in Metele, Borno State, where soldiers were reported to have complained about inadequate equipment.
The Atiku campaign demanded explanations from the Buhari administration on the issues it raised, insisting that Nigerians deserved answers on the management of public funds and the handling of corruption allegations.
The allegations and questions were made by the Atiku campaign as part of its political criticism of the Buhari administration ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
The Buhari administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had their own positions on allegations of corruption and the government’s anti-corruption record..
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