The presidential flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 election, Bola Tinubu, has commented on the recent corruption allegations made by one of Atiku Abubakar’s former aides Michael Achimugu, concerning allegedly setting up Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) companies to siphon Nigeria’s funds.
SPY NIGERIA recalls that Achimugu recently made some claims on social media that Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 election, used the SPV scheme to collect funds from a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, who was convicted for misappropriation of Ecological Fund. Dariye has since been pardoned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku served as vice president between 1999 and 2007, the same period Dariye served as governor.
Furthermore, Achimugu also released a voice record—purportedly to be a recorded conversation between him and the former Vice President. This newspaper is yet to verify the authenticity of the audio.
Commenting on the allegation during his rally in Ilorin, Kwara State, Tinubu said: “Before today, we used to call him Mr. Privatize. But today, we must give him a new name. One that comes from his own mouth.
“He is now Mr. SPV. From his own mouth, we have heard him admit that he and his old boss conspired to rob from the Nigerian treasury millions upon millions of dollars.
“They did this by using a fancy business device called an SPV, Special purpose vehicle, to hide the money.
“By his antics, Atiku has changed the meaning of SPV. It is no longer a business unit.
“With him, it is a money-eating monster. From henceforth, Atiku shall be known as MR. SPV. S for Stealing, P for Plunder and V for Vicious.
“For this is a vicious assault on the public funds, public welfare and on the public conscience. How can he so brazenly steal and plunder yet ask you to return him to the scene of the crime.
“He wants to return to the crime scene not to repent but to repeat the Stealing Plundering and Viciousness.
“You must stop him before he stops your dreams and aspirations for a better Nigeria.”
