Atiku Dares Tinubu To Prosecute Him Over $16bn Power Sector Fund

Presidential hopeful Atiku Abubakar has dared the federal government to prosecute him over alleged mismanagement of $16 billion meant to revamp the nation’s power sector.

Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC said no federal government probe has indicted him despite all the allegations against him regarding the issue.

The ADC presidential candidate was Nigeria’s vice president between 1999 and 2007 when the funds were believed to have been spent in the sector, without anything to show for it, as critics claimed the funds may have been misappropriated or embezzled.

Not a few Nigerians have insisted that heads must roll over the issue, as they believed that the nation’s electricity situation would not have been this bad if the funds were indeed spent appropriately.

Accusing fingers have been pointed at Abubakar and  former President Olusegun Obasanjo who were in power at the time.

Reacting to the allegations, Abubakar said he had nothing to do with how the funds were spent, saying the administration of Tinubu is only trying to use the issue as a diversionary tactics from the challenges facing his government.

According to a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, the former vice president said as the Chairman of the National Privatization Council, NPC he had nothing to do with how the sector was run at the time, adding that the minister of Power at the time should be held responsible because he (Abubakar) “disagreed” with the policy of privatization adopted by the Obasanjo’s administration in the sector.

He said several probes instituted by the government to unravel any scam regarding the said funds have failed to indict him, he charged the government to conduct more investigations if it’s not satisfied that he’s innocent.

“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?

“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,” Abubakar said.