Posted by By Musikilu Mojeed on
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation on Sunday took issue with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, following his comments that the vice-president had questions to answer.
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation on Sunday took issue with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, following his comments that the vice-president had questions to answer.
The organisation, in a statement, said contrary to el-Rufai's claim, President Olusegun Obasanjo and some of his close associates had more to fear than Abubakar over the impeding probe by the Senate‘s ad hoc Committee probing the alleged mismanagement of the funds of the Petroleum Development Trust Fund.
It also said Abubakar had at no time asked for "soft landing" from the President as being claimed by el-Rufai.
It said facts at Abubakar's disposal would compel the Senate committee to summon el-Rufai and some other ministers.
Abubakar in the statement threatened that the evidence he would present at the hearing would cause the invitation of some spokespersons of the president to explain their roles in the PTDF saga.
He said, "The minister‘s side should stop deluding themselves that there are no cheques implicating them in the ongoing Senate probe. The minister of the FCT in fact should be prepared to personally appear as matters will arise that will link him with PTDF funds along with some ministers and other spokepersons of the President.
"The veracity of claims in respect of cheques will be established at the public hearing. For instance, when el-Rufai cited a N250m cheque allegedly going into the vice-president‘s personal account, may be he meant a N250m PTDF cheque going into the President‘s personal lawyer‘s (name withheld) account. Nasiru has a duty to the nation and his conscience to provide this evidence or resign.
"However, let us add a caveat: Nigerians should be wary of the wild allegations often emanating from Nasir el-Rufai. For all we know, he will end up calling upon God as his witness, when pressed to prove same. That is his character."
He reiterated his preparedness to appear before the Senate to answer questions on the allegations against him, saying it was false that his representatives at a peace parley pleaded for a "soft landing."
Meanwhile, the camp of the vice-president on Saturday threatened to release 20 more cheques that would reveal how Obasanjo was mismanaging public funds.
National Director of Media Affairs of the Turaki Vanguard, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, told journalists in Abuja that the cheques would jolt the nation.
The Turaki Vanguard is a group campaigning for the election of Abubakar as president in 2007.
But the Political Adviser to the President, Mr. Akin Osuntokun, on Sunday said whatever cheque that would be released would be forged ones.
Eze spoke against the backdrop of comments credited to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, that the vice-president was guilty of the allegations of corruption levelled against Abubakar.
He said, "I can assure you that we have 20 other cheques that we will release very soon. The cheques will put the President in proper perspective and Nigerians will know for once how corrupt Obasanjo is.
"The President‘s camp is aware of what we have and that is why they are desperate to find a peaceful resolution of the crisis. But Atiku has made it clear that he is ready to defend himself before the Senate‘s committee probing the fund of the Petroleum Development Trust Fund."
Asked when the 20 cheques would be released, Eze said, "We believe that the Senate will soon call for public hearing on the matter. For us, that appears the most auspicious time for the VP to bare it all.
But Osuntokun, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Gbade Ogunwale, said whatever "forged cheques and documents" released by Abubakar would not make any impact on Nigerians.
He said, "What are they waiting for? Let their paymaster go ahead and peddle as many forged cheques and documents as possible. Fortunately, members of the public are not as gullible as they think."