EFCC arrests PDP campaign deputy DG, Turaki
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night said the antigraft agency, the EFCC, has arrested its Deputy Director General (Administration) of the Presidential Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.
Turaki is a former Minister of Special Duties and one of the presidential aspirants that lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The party has demanded for his unconditional release.
The Director Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement last night said Turaki was invited, arrested and detained yesterday by the EFCC “for no just cause.”
The party said the exminister’s arrest and detention was part of the alleged grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders not to go court to challenge Buhari’s reelection victory.
“Since the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the PDP expressed our unwavering determination to reclaim our victory at the tribunal, being armed with overwhelming evidence, our leaders have been subjected to escalated harassments, constant threats, blackmails, cajoling and contrivances by the APC to drop our legal option.
“It is instructive to state that Tanimu Turaki was arrested and detained upon invitation by the EFCC to endorse a bail document for the Finance Director of Atiku Abubakar’s company, Babalele Abdullahi, who was arrested earlier by the commission over flimsy allegations.
“The PDP, however, states in clear terms that the APC and the Buhari Presidency are fighting a lost battle as no amount of harassment and threats will ever make the party to buckle in its determination to take back the mandate, in line with the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are resolute on this struggle to reclaim the mandate freely given to Atiku Abubakar at the polls and the PDP will pursue this decision to its logical end and secure justice for the Nigerian people,” the party said.
Atiku’s son-in-law detained over N61 billion
Meanwhile, the EFCC has said it is investigating the sonin-law of Atiku Abubakar, Babalele Abdullahi over an alleged N61 billion money laundering case, Daily Trust gathered yesterday.
A top EFCC source told Daily Trust that Abdullahi is being detained by the antigraft agency to shed more light on the movement of the fund, said to be about 150 million Euros.
The amount converted yesterday at the current foreign exchange rate equals N61 billion.
The source said, “Yes, he, Babalele, is being investigated over an alleged case of money laundering. The sum involved is 150 million Euros. The investigation is ongoing.”
He said: “He is in EFCC custody. He will be released soon.”
Babalele was arrested on Saturday, in Abuja.
His Abuja homes and office were raided and some documents were reportedly carted away before EFCC operatives arrested him.
When contacted, EFCC acting spokesperson Tony Orilade said, “Yes, Babalele is with us. We don’t do our investigation in the media, so I don’t have details for now, but at the appropriate time we shall speak.”