Obi, Tinubu Step Up Campaign As Atiku Remains In UK Amidst Viral Corruption Allegation

While two of the top three presidential candidates in the February election – Peter Obi of Labour Party and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC – have continue to hold campaign rallies, their counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, is battling corruption allegation even as he remains outside the country.

Atiku was reported by his spokesman, Dino Melaye, on Monday to have left for the UK amid rumours that the former Vice President had taken ill in Dubai, the UAE and was flown to the UK for medical attention.

The PDP candidate has been in Dubai since December for holiday before his visit to the UK “on the invitation of the British Government,” according to a post by Melaye who said he’s in the entourage.

Two days ago, his former media aide, Michael Achimugu, released a series of videos and audios where he accused him of receiving N100 million from the former Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye.

The money formed part of corruption allegations against Dariye on which he was convicted and sent to jail a few years ago.

Achimugu further claimed that the Waziri admitted to him that Dariye paid money into the account of Marine Float, set up and controlled by Atiku and his cronies.

The Atiku camp declined comment when contacted by THE WHISTLER on Monday.

But why he has been enmeshed in these allegations of fraud and ill-health, both Obi and Tinubu have continued to deepen their campaign with rallies across the country.

On Monday, Obi was in Delta State where he promised to “make education work, no more strikes in our public varsities.

“We will ensure that there is law and order, and no more harassment by police because we will train them to work. They are our friends and not enemies”, he said.

Addressing supporters in Warri, the former Anambra State governor said, “Warri Port will work. We are supposed to drive from here to Warri on the double lane, we will do it and complete East-West road, which they have been building for 24 years now.

“I am from the South-East, if it is turn by turn, it is the turn of the South-East.

“But I am not running this election because I am from the South-East but because I am a Nigerian and am the best. No other person or group is like the Obi-Datti combination.

On his part, Tinubu was joined by President Muhammadu Buhari in Adamawa State, Atiku’s home front, to woo voters in what is believed to be a show of force.

He declared in Adamawa that, “I envision both manufacturing hubs as well as agricultural hubs that will allow you to produce finished products that will expand the local economy, create jobs and increase the standard of living for all of you.

“I see adequate fresh produce storage facilities, farm-to-market roads and access routes.

“I also envision the establishment of commodity exchange boards and credit facilities that will provide the hardworking farmer a guaranteed income for his crops and also allow farmers affordable loans to invest in and improve the productive yield of their lands.

“I can envision these good things for my people because I have the expertise and commitment to see them become reality,” he said.

Obi landed in his home front where he was governor for eight years on Tuesday to continue his campaign rally.

He announced that he arrived at the venue of the town hall meeting with Anambra State students in Awka.

“Arriving at the Traditional Rulers Council Hall, Government House, Awka for a meeting with Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers under the chairmanship of HRH, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha,” Obi announced on his Twitter handle.

Tinubu on his part is in Yobe State to continue his campaign rally according to the information provided by the APC presidential campaign council.

The Atiku camp declined comment when contacted by THE WHISTLER.