By Sunday Ameh
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Presidency for citing China in its response to allegations against him, arguing that the comparison raises more questions about President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Presidency’s reference to China had backfired because the country imposes severe penalties, including the death penalty, for serious drug-related offences.
The former Vice President maintained that he has never been indicted or convicted in Nigeria or any other country for corruption, drug offences or any other criminal offence, insisting that his record remains clean.
According to Atiku, if the Tinubu administration has chosen China as a benchmark for public accountability, Nigerians also have the right to examine issues surrounding the reported civil forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States Government over funds allegedly linked to narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
He added that China’s legal system is known for its strict approach to corruption, abuse of office and the misappropriation of public resources, arguing that such offences would attract severe scrutiny under Chinese law.
Atiku further accused the Tinubu administration of neglecting pressing national challenges such as economic hardship, insecurity and hunger, while focusing on political distractions instead of governance.
He also dismissed the Presidency’s reliance on diplomatic correspondence from the United States as evidence of innocence, arguing that such communications are routine and cannot be regarded as a judicial acquittal.
The former Vice President urged the Presidency to improve the quality of its public communication, stressing that while propaganda may shape public discourse temporarily, facts would ultimately prevail, according to the statement signed by Shaibu.
Leave a Reply