The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has described as “laughable” recent comments by former Vice-President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, that he was “competing with thieves” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group said Atiku appeared to be speaking as though Nigerians had forgotten his record in government as Vice-President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
TMSG said it was not surprised by the comment, arguing that the 2027 presidential election could be Atiku’s final attempt to achieve his long-standing ambition of becoming president after five unsuccessful bids.
The group said: “It is indeed utterly laughable that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar could unabashedly call anyone in government names after what Nigerians know about his time in office as former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s deputy.
“Like many Nigerians, we are aware that the 2027 presidential election may be the former Vice-President’s last attempt at achieving his lifelong ambition of being President after five previous failed bids. So, it was not a surprise to hear him saying ‘we are competing with thieves’ in a video shared on his social media platform.”
According to TMSG, Atiku was “fully out and prepared to throw just anything and everything” at President Bola Tinubu, as he allegedly did against the late President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 election.
It maintained that the strategy failed in 2019 and would not succeed in 2027.
The group further alleged that Atiku’s description of the present administration was more applicable to controversies surrounding his own time in government.
TMSG cited comments attributed to Obasanjo in his book, My Watch, in which the former president allegedly accused Atiku of corruption, disloyalty, dishonesty, poor judgment and placing personal interests above national interest.
“We are not aware that the former Vice-President sued his former principal for defamation after this scathing indictment in the book My Watch. Neither did Atiku attempt to clear his name other than to say he had never been convicted of corruption,” the group said.
TMSG also raised allegations contained in a 2010 United States congressional report on corruption, claiming that Atiku was used as a case study in the report on “Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States.”
The group alleged that more than 80 pages of the report focused on Atiku and claimed that his then-wife, Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, helped channel more than $40 million in “suspect or offshore funds” into the United States between 2000 and 2008.
It further alleged that the funds were transferred into more than 30 US bank accounts allegedly controlled by Atiku’s wife through shell companies in jurisdictions including Panama and the British Virgin Islands.
TMSG also referred to allegations by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2008 concerning payments allegedly made by German engineering company Siemens to Atiku’s wife in connection with government contracts.
The group noted that Jennifer Douglas denied wrongdoing, while Siemens pleaded guilty to criminal charges and settled related civil charges.
It also cited a Nigerian Senate committee report which, according to the group, accused Atiku of diverting $145 million belonging to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and recommended sanctions and prosecution.
TMSG further criticised the privatisation programme overseen by Atiku as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, alleging that several public assets were sold at undervalued prices, with former workers suffering as a result.
“We are convinced that the former Vice-President has so much baggage bordering on corruption allegations to be sauntering around, accusing others of things he is liable for,” the group said.
