STATEMENT BY THE APC UK LEADER AND CONVENER OF PMB
VOLUNTEERS, PRINCE ADE OMOLE, AT A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE HELD IN
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.
I am compelled to call this Press Conference due to our serious
concerns about the latest development in our dear country of origin
Nigeria.
1. Our concerns bother on the attitude and disposition of few
western countries to Nigeria as seen in their open support for a
candidate in an election where Nigerians are expected to choose
their leader freely through balloting.
2. It is very clear to all stakeholders that the Western world,
most especially the United States of America and the United Kingdom
are supporting the candidate of the opposition party Mr Atiku
Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari.
3. As Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, we consider it
imperative to shed light on the situation in Nigeria and why we
consider the systemic support of the UK government to the
opposition party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, unhelpful and
dangerous.
4. Nigeria has been bedevilled by corruption since the return to
democratic rule in 1999.
5. The country earned a staggering sum of over $1 trillion
dollars from oil in the past two decades but has nothing to show
for it. The money was simply stolen by the ruling elite.
6. A former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, once
described Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country.
7. Atiku Abubakar was Vice President of Nigeria in 8 out of the
20 years.
8. In that period he (Atiku) constitutionally superintended over
the economy and privatisation programme of the government. In other
words he was in charge of the first 8 years of the malfeasance.
9. Atiku Abubakar has been named and linked to multiple
corruption cases in Nigeria and in the United States.
10. A few weeks ago he was described by The Guardian
International Newspaper as an “established thief”, while the
Bloomberg called him a “kleptocrat”.
11. Atiku has prominently featured in the corruption trial of
former U.S. Congressman William Jefferson, Jefferson was accused of
offering bribe to Atiku to use his position as a vice president to
facilitate the expansion of his technology business in Nigeria.
Jefferson was convicted in the US in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years
in prison.
12. In another case, a U.S. Senate Subcommittee with the
cooperation of the FBI, alleged that Atiku’s wife Jennifer, helped
him transfer more than $40 million in “suspect funds” into the
United States from offshore shell companies to establish a
University.
13. Almost $2 million of that money were bribes paid by the
German technology company Siemens AG, according to Senate
investigators. Siemens pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2008
and agreed to pay a $1.6 billion fine.
14. We need to remind the UK and the entire world that the
candidate of the opposition party Mr Atiku Abubakar was banned from
entering the United States for over a decade after he featured
prominently in two corruption cases. The ban became an albatross
for his Presidential campaign.
15. However in a dramatic twist of events he was recently let
into the US for two to three days, in a suspicious manner, after
paying millions of dollars to a lobbying firm with a strong link to
USA President Donald Trump. This seems to reinforce the belief that
there is a tactical support from leading western governments.
16. Let us remind ourselves that the Guardian Newspaper once
reported that “Britain is a key destination for corrupt officials’
ill-gotten wealth”.
17. In 2016, President Buhari’s anti-corruption chief said $37bn
of stolen money had been routed through London in two years.
18. We are concerned that the support of the UK and others seem
to be confirming this key allegation against the UK and in
supporting such a candidate and wanting to tilt the election in
favour of such a shady and corrupt individual; it negates the very
principles of democracy and good governance. This is
unacceptable.
19. The swift development witnessed in the infrastructure of the
country, a much needed foundation for the rapid development of the
country, will be truncated if Atiku comes to power as he has
proudly vouched to share the country’s wealth amongst his friends
and cronies. This was what he did between 1999 and 2007 as Vice
President who was constitutionally empowered to superintend over
the economy.
20. President Buhari’s achievements in the area of
graft-fighting are monumental. Under President Buhari, two former
governors have been convicted and currently serving time in prison
while several millions of Naira have been recovered and numerous
properties confiscated. For the first time in Nigeria, recoveries
from looters form part of the national budget revenue for 2019.
Likewise, the anti-corruption agency, EFCC has prosecuted and
won over 800 cases since the inception of the APC-led
administration. Atiku has promised to reverse the trend by granting
amnesty to corrupt individuals and officials. He will simply
release those governors and convicted criminals from jail and
re-energise corruption in Nigeria.
21. Finally, we understand the right of the UK to support any
candidate of their choice, but we want to remind them that Nigeria
is a sovereign country and with sovereign integrity. *The election
of leaders in Nigeria should be left in the hands of
Nigerians*.
Thank you.
STATEMENT BY THE APC UK LEADER AND CONVENER OF PMB
VOLUNTEERS, PRINCE ADE OMOLE, AT A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE HELD IN
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.
I am compelled to call this Press Conference due to our serious
concerns about the latest development in our dear country of origin
Nigeria.
1. Our concerns bother on the attitude and disposition of few
western countries to Nigeria as seen in their open support for a
candidate in an election where Nigerians are expected to choose
their leader freely through balloting.
2. It is very clear to all stakeholders that the Western world,
most especially the United States of America and the United Kingdom
are supporting the candidate of the opposition party Mr Atiku
Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari.
3. As Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, we consider it
imperative to shed light on the situation in Nigeria and why we
consider the systemic support of the UK government to the
opposition party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, unhelpful and
dangerous.
4. Nigeria has been bedevilled by corruption since the return to
democratic rule in 1999.
5. The country earned a staggering sum of over $1 trillion
dollars from oil in the past two decades but has nothing to show
for it. The money was simply stolen by the ruling elite.
6. A former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, once
described Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country.
7. Atiku Abubakar was Vice President of Nigeria in 8 out of the
20 years.
8. In that period he (Atiku) constitutionally superintended over
the economy and privatisation programme of the government. In other
words he was in charge of the first 8 years of the malfeasance.
9. Atiku Abubakar has been named and linked to multiple
corruption cases in Nigeria and in the United States.
10. A few weeks ago he was described by The Guardian
International Newspaper as an “established thief”, while the
Bloomberg called him a “kleptocrat”.
11. Atiku has prominently featured in the corruption trial of
former U.S. Congressman William Jefferson, Jefferson was accused of
offering bribe to Atiku to use his position as a vice president to
facilitate the expansion of his technology business in Nigeria.
Jefferson was convicted in the US in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years
in prison.
12. In another case, a U.S. Senate Subcommittee with the
cooperation of the FBI, alleged that Atiku’s wife Jennifer, helped
him transfer more than $40 million in “suspect funds” into the
United States from offshore shell companies to establish a
University.
13. Almost $2 million of that money were bribes paid by the
German technology company Siemens AG, according to Senate
investigators. Siemens pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2008
and agreed to pay a $1.6 billion fine.
14. We need to remind the UK and the entire world that the
candidate of the opposition party Mr Atiku Abubakar was banned from
entering the United States for over a decade after he featured
prominently in two corruption cases. The ban became an albatross
for his Presidential campaign.
15. However in a dramatic twist of events he was recently let
into the US for two to three days, in a suspicious manner, after
paying millions of dollars to a lobbying firm with a strong link to
USA President Donald Trump. This seems to reinforce the belief that
there is a tactical support from leading western governments.
16. Let us remind ourselves that the Guardian Newspaper once
reported that “Britain is a key destination for corrupt officials’
ill-gotten wealth”.
17. In 2016, President Buhari’s anti-corruption chief said $37bn
of stolen money had been routed through London in two years.
18. We are concerned that the support of the UK and others seem
to be confirming this key allegation against the UK and in
supporting such a candidate and wanting to tilt the election in
favour of such a shady and corrupt individual; it negates the very
principles of democracy and good governance. This is
unacceptable.
19. The swift development witnessed in the infrastructure of the
country, a much needed foundation for the rapid development of the
country, will be truncated if Atiku comes to power as he has
proudly vouched to share the country’s wealth amongst his friends
and cronies. This was what he did between 1999 and 2007 as Vice
President who was constitutionally empowered to superintend over
the economy.
20. President Buhari’s achievements in the area of
graft-fighting are monumental. Under President Buhari, two former
governors have been convicted and currently serving time in prison
while several millions of Naira have been recovered and numerous
properties confiscated. For the first time in Nigeria, recoveries
from looters form part of the national budget revenue for 2019.
Likewise, the anti-corruption agency, EFCC has prosecuted and
won over 800 cases since the inception of the APC-led
administration. Atiku has promised to reverse the trend by granting
amnesty to corrupt individuals and officials. He will simply
release those governors and convicted criminals from jail and
re-energise corruption in Nigeria.
21. Finally, we understand the right of the UK to support any
candidate of their choice, but we want to remind them that Nigeria
is a sovereign country and with sovereign integrity. *The election
of leaders in Nigeria should be left in the hands of
Nigerians*.
Thank you.
Read more https://apc.com.ng/statement-by-the-apc-uk-leader-and-convener-of-pmb-volunteers-prince-ade-omole/