FG, PDP differ over alleged invasion of Atiku’s sons’ house

…Raid on ex-VP’s son, blockade of Obi’s account fake news- FG ...PDP: Presidency’s action dirty politics, unacceptable … We never raided, arrested Atiku’s sons- EFCC The Presidency has refuted news making the rounds that it ordered a raid on the residence of the sons of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Presidency also debunked the allegations that the account of the vice presidential candidate of the opposition PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, has been blocked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Monday, stated that the story about the raid “ordered by Buhari-led government” on the home of the sons of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Presidential candidate and “the fairy tale on the alleged blockage of the bank accounts of the running mate, former Governor Peter Obi and his family are both untrue, and should be dismissed as just another manifestation of the PDP’s growing expertise in fake news. Shehu stated that Nigerians must be becoming wary by now, of a political party with absolutely nothing to offer in the coming elections and has instead, transformed into a knight in shining armor, slaying the truth. “In this so-called transformation, PDP has changed into nothing but to a ceaselessly flowing stream of fake news. “It is impossible to find in Nigeria today, anyone propagating fake news more than the PDP. “Our advice to Nigerians is: ignore them,” the presidency stated. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) has condemned Saturday’s raid and unleashing of violence on the home of the sons of its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as vicious, outrageous, dirty and reprehensible. The party said the invasion of Aliyu and Mustapha Abubakar’s home, even in their absence, allegedly by Buhari’s government in search of imaginary cache of foreign currency, has further exposed how depraved “the Presidency has descended in the desperate plot to harm, traumatise and malign the character of our Presidential candidate and his family, having realised that Nigerians have aligned behind him as the next President of our country”. Director, Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Monday said: “It is indeed appalling that the Buhari Presidency can now go as low as engaging in wicked politics of chasing after family members of a Presidential candidate, who are neither government officials, government contractors nor involved in any underhand dealings, but young students pursuing their legitimate personal educational careers without ill will to anybody. “While nothing incriminating was found in the apartment, the PPCO has been made aware of how the squad, said to be acting on ‘orders from above’ ransacked the house and destroyed valuables belonging to Atiku’s children and we demand an explanation from the leadership of the EFCC. “The PPCO completely rejects the wicked politics that the APC and the Buhari Presidency are importing into our polity. We hereby urge all Nigerians, particularly the youths, to rise in condemnation of these vicious acts. “Only last month, a special security squad of army, police and paramilitary agencies was unleashed to physically harass our Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at the Abuja airport, upon his return from Dubai. “Similarly, last week, all transactions in bank accounts belonging to PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, his wife, his family members and their businesses were stopped by agencies of the Buhari Presidency on account of imaginary investigation. “Nigerians are already aware of how opposition leaders and others perceived to be averse to the President Buhari’s re-election bid, on account of his woeful performance in office, are being blackmailed and framed up with spurious charges”, said the PDP. The party urged Buhari to note that, as an opposition presidential candidate from 2003 to 2015, none of his children or family members were in anyway attacked or victimised by the government in power, warning him to to stop importing such vicious underhand tactics into Nigeria’s political hemisphere. The presidential campaign council counseled the APC and the Buhari Presidency to come to terms with the fact that Nigerians have moved beyond them and that no amount of intimidation, harassment or attack on its candidates, leaders and their families will stop Nigerians from voting them out of office, come 2019 and electing our candidate, Atiku Abubakar. However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied raiding the residence of Atiku’s sons looking for foreign currencies or arms. In a statement on Monday, the anti-graft agency also denied blocking or freezing the accounts of the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi. In the statement signed by the Ag. Head, Media & Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade, the Commission described the report that it raided the residence of Atiku’s sons as “nothing but another tales by moonlight”. The statement reads in part: “We have received several calls and email messages asking us to confirm the arrest of the sons of the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as being alleged in some quarters. Some only said we raided the apartments of Atiku’s sons looking for foreign currencies. This is nothing but another tales by moonlight. “It is in the news that we have been investigating the former Abia governor, Senator Theodore Orji over alleged N27 Billion Naira money laundering. In the course of investigation, we discovered that he laundered part of the money through his sons. We have been on the trail of some of the purchases made by his son including the cars the boys allegedly bought. “Last Friday, we traced one of the cars to a Nite Club in Abuja. In order not to cause panic, we waited until the business of the club was over and when the owner of the suspected car came to enter to take off, we arrested him and his friend who has a similar brand of car. That was about 5am on Saturday, December 8, 2018. “The two boys we arrested were Ogbonna Orji, 32, and Kelvin Ilonah. While Orji’s Car, a Range Rover is valued at about N100 million, Ilonah’s car also a Range Rover, is valued at about N35 million. “In the course of further interrogation, the two boys led us to their apartment, three flats, and documents retrieved from the apartment showed it was rented for N13 million each per annum. “Another brand new Prado Jeep, a 2017 model was recovered from the boys in the compound. The two boys in question gave useful information to the Commission which is helping in our further investigation. “The EFCC, as a responsible organisation is abreast of the establishment mandate and we shall not deviate from such mandate. “We never went after Atiku’s sons neither were Atiku’s sons among the two boys arrested. There is no link whatsoever to Atiku. “Only last week, the people’s Democratic Part, PDP was alleged to have raised alarm that the Commission blocked and or freeze the accounts of the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Peter Obi. Again, this was another lie which we immediately punctured as there was no truth in it whatsoever, to the accusation. Till now, only silence has prevailed from the camp of the accusers”. Mathew Dadiya and Tunde Opalana, Abuja