Babalele Abdullahi, an associate of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been released by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Abdullahi is Atiku’s son in-law and Finance Director of companies owned by the Wazirin Adamawa.
Segun Sowunmi, Atiku’s spokesman, confirmed the development Tuesday morning on Twitter.
“Atiku Abubakar’s son in-law has been released. That is the way to go. Thank you is in order”, he tweeted.
EFCC had on Monday said it had begun investigation of alleged money-laundering against Abdullahi.
EFCC acting spokesman of EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, stated: “We are investigating a case of money laundering against Abdullahi. We shall speak at the appropriate time”.
He declined to disclose the figure involved in the laundering allegation against Abdullahi.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director General (Admin) of PDP Campaign Organization, Barr. Tanimu Turaki, has been arrested by the EFCC.
A source in the party confirmed to DAILY POST that Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was playing a major role in the suit against Buhari’s victory and that it was the reason EFCC was holding him.
He said: “It might interest you to know that Turaki is the one coordinating the body of lawyers for Tuesday’s filing of the suit challenging the mandate stolen by Buhari February 23.
“EFCC swapped Babalele, Lawan and Lawani for Turaki, who came in the afternoon to perfect release of the trio. As the trio were released at about 10.30pm, KTT (Turaki) was detained in their stead.”
Reacting, PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, noted that Turaki’s arrest and detention is part of the grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders and scuttle PDP’s determination to reclaim its victory in court.
It reads: “Since the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the PDP expressed our unwavering determination to reclaim our victory at the tribunal, being armed with overwhelming evidence, our leaders have been subjected to escalated harassments, constant threats, blackmails, cajoling and contrivances by the APC to drop our legal option.
“The PDP, however, states in clear terms that the APC and the Buhari Presidency are fighting a lost battle as no amount of harassment and threats will ever make the party to buckle in its determination to take back the mandate, in line with the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.
“Nigerians are resolute on this struggle to reclaim the mandate freely given to Atiku Abubakar at the polls and the PDP will pursue this decision to its logical end and secure justice for the Nigerian people”.
