Invasion of Atiku’s Plane Premeditated Intimidation Tactic, Says Campaign Team

The Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO) has said that the invasion of the private jet of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by the special security squad was a premeditated intimidation tactic by the All Progressive Congress (APC)- led federal government.

The campaign organisation in a statement yesterday in Abuja said last week, the ruling party had released a statement accusing former Vice President of having strategy meetings for the purpose of moving “illicit cash” into Nigeria and asked the security services to investigate Atiku and his plane.

The APC in the statement had said, “Our intelligence, anti-graft and security agencies must be awake to its responsibility of investigating the Dubai meeting. Cash-and-carry politicians must be prevented from moving illicit cash around to induce voters and sponsor election violence and rigging. Again, relevant agencies must check suspicious movement of cash both locally and internationally by politically exposed persons under the guise of a “Dubai meeting” or any clandestine meeting”.

APCO stated: “That statement evinced an obvious premeditated intention by the APC and its federal government to deliberately embarrass the former vice president by invading his plane with security personnel and possibly to set him up for the crimes they had already officially accused him of in their statement.”

“The official denial by the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency of any hand in the ordeal of the former vice president is put to lie when you examine their statement of last week which was clearly what was implemented against the former vice president. It also shows that both parties have no credibility and will do or say anything to further their interests.

“The statement by the aviation ministry that the search of Atiku Abubakar’s plane is “routine” is an afterthought that does not hold water for the simple reason that the PDP Presidential candidate has been flying in and out of Nigeria without ever receiving such a treatment until the APC released their statement.”

This event, it added, raises grave concerns about using government services for purely political purposes and what this portends for the conduct of free and fair elections in February 2019, and shows as hollow President Buhari’s promise to superintendent over credible polls.