- A group has condemned the claim by Atiku Abubakar that he was searched by security operatives upon his return from Dubai
- The group said such claim is a cheap blackmail to mop up sympathy
- The Africa Civil Rights Centre said Atiku was only being chased by the ghost of the past
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has been at the receiving end of harsh criticism over his claim that security operatives allegedly harassed him upon his return to Nigeria from Dubai on Sunday, November 11.
Atiku had in a tweet said he was intimated by security agents upon his arrival from Dubai where he has been holding meetings ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
The former vice president said: “I arrived to Abuja this morning to a search by agents of the state, aimed at intimidating me and my staff."
However, reacting to Atiku's tweet, the Africa Civil Rights Centre said such claim is a cheap blackmail to get sympathy.
The executive secretary of the group, Enemaku Ocheni, said the PDP candidate was only being chased by the ghost of the past.
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The group in a statement called on the PDP presidential candidate to quit crying foul except there is something he and the PDP were hiding from Nigerians.
Ocheni said: “The latest antic of Atiku and PDP is to whip up a storm in a teacup over the routine screening reportedly conducted on him by security operatives upon his return to Nigeria from Dubai on Sunday."
“He has with the PDP and a retinue of hirelings made so much noise about the search on a scale that sought to present law enforcement agents as singling him out.
One of his hirelings even issued a substance-induced sounding statement claiming there was an attempt to frame Atiku by dropping sacks of foreign currency on his aircraft, only someone that once carried out such operation can allude the same to another person.
“It is most unfortunate that Atiku Abaubakar that once held the nation’s number two position for eight years knows no better than to disparage security agencies that are on legitimate duty; he omitted to explain to his supporters that the same DSS he is disparaging is proving security cover for him as per tradition.
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“At a time when several of his political associates in the PDP have been severally fingered in using their convoys to provide safe passage for Boko Haram members and even ferrying weapons for them, it is not out of place to conduct random search on persons entering the country.
“Atiku must realize that he called the rain upon himself. Proceeds of his acquisition that he wants to use to buy the 2019 election are stashed in Dubai so he might have as well been smuggling in foreign currency to upend the electoral system in violation of the law," Ocheni said.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Hadi Sirika, minister of state for Aviation, has revealed that the search carried out on Atiku was a routine check and as such, should not be mischievously used to grab headlines.
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The minister also revealed that the former vice president was granted his due respect during the routine search.
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