Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria, has vehemently rejected allegations that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, funded his 2023 presidential campaign.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku described the claims as baseless and part of a smear campaign orchestrated to advance the political agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The allegations, which surfaced in certain media outlets (excluding The PUNCH), suggested that Sanwo-Olu’s political career could be in jeopardy after it was allegedly revealed that he had provided financial support to Atiku for his presidential bid. The reports claimed that anti-corruption agencies traced funds from Sanwo-Olu’s associate, Aisha Achimugu, which allegedly ended up with both Atiku and Peter Obi, leaders of Nigeria’s two major opposition parties.
In response, Atiku categorically denied the accusations, emphasizing that he has never met Sanwo-Olu. His statement read: “This is a malicious lie, a political fabrication, and an attempt to serve the interests of President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku Abubakar has never met Sanwo-Olu, and it is simply impossible for him to have had any financial dealings with him, especially during the 2023 election in which President Tinubu was a candidate.”
The statement went on to accuse President Tinubu’s camp of orchestrating the smear campaign to weaken Sanwo-Olu and destabilize the opposition coalition, which includes Atiku.
“This is a calculated political move to undermine both Sanwo-Olu and the opposition coalition, of which Atiku Abubakar is a key player,” the statement added.
Atiku’s team also challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to publicly disclose the results of its alleged investigation into the matter, asserting that such findings should be shared with the public, including Atiku and other political figures.
The Labour Party (LP), through its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, also rejected the claim. He emphasized, “Peter Obi’s campaign was funded by ordinary Nigerians, both within Nigeria and abroad. The allegation that Sanwo-Olu financed Obi’s campaign is completely false and a fabrication. It is illogical for a candidate’s rival to fund their opponent’s campaign.”
The ongoing smear campaign against Atiku and Peter Obi has sparked concerns about the manipulation of information in Nigerian politics, with both leaders calling for an immediate end to such tactics.
