‘Your Crimes Will Destroy You’ — Ex-Aide Tells Atiku After Campaign Council’s Statement

Atiku Abubakar’s sixth defeat in a presidential contest may be staring at him in the face as one of his former media aides who vowed to spoil his chances at the February 25 poll has threatened to unleash more dirt on him.

Michael Achimugu, who claimed to have worked closely with Atiku for more than six years, threatened to expose “crimes that can swallow and eternally destroy” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate.

He spoke on Tuesday against the backdrop of alleged threats to his life and those of his family members after he revealed details of alleged N1.16 billion corruption involving Atiku and threatened to expose his former boss’ alleged dark past.

It remains unclear why Achimugu fell out with Atiku but in a series of tweets on Tuesday, he dared the former vice president’s camp to sue him over his allegations against their principal.

“If I am a fraud, take me to court. I was no fraud when I was working for your principal. I was no fraud when I bore insults for him and made sacrifices.

“Not Atiku people calling me a fraud. Unbelievable. Those who did so before now ran away when it was time to prove their allegations. If you think this strategy will help you, bring it on. Prove me a fraudster and I will go away with tails between my legs,” he tweeted.

Apparently referring to Atiku, he said in another tweet: “Your own daughter records private, physical conversations with you and Babalele, then mistakenly sends same to my phone. Ask her what I saw and heard on convention day. A daughter you were not talking to until I came and reconciled you both. Today I am the devil.”

Achimugu had on Monday leaked an alleged recorded phone conversation between him and Atiku, where the PDP candidate was heard admitting to using “special purpose vehicles (phony companies)” for diversion of public funds during his tenure as vice president under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration from 1999-2007.

He also deposed an affidavit at the FCT High Court, Wuse, affirming his allegation that as vice president, Atiku received N100 million as “bribe” from the N1.16 billion released to the convicted former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, by the Ecological Fund Office that was chaired at the time by Atiku.

In a video uploaded to his blog, Achimugu warned Nigerians against voting for Atiku for the sake of their children and grandchildren.

“My lawyers are well briefed and equipped for the mother of all exposures once something happens to me or any member of my family.

“I have sworn to an affidavit of facts which will be released later, which is one of the steps I have taken for possible backlash for the series of disclosures I will be making,” he had said.

Dino Melaye, a former Senator and spokesperson of the Atiku campaign, dismissed Achimugu’s claim and accused him of working for Bola Ahmed Tinubu — the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.

But responding in subsequent tweets on Tuesday, Achimugu said he won’t feel dispirited by social media attacks directed at him, noting that he was “not afraid. I own this with my chest and I can die for it.”

He added, “If you think it is about money, you are entitled to your opinion but your attacks will not remove the authenticity of facts in this matter. I didn’t accuse anybody. The subject testified by himself. Keep attacking me.

“If anything happens to me or my family, the world will know that there are some crimes that will swallow even the rich and powerful. Not everything will go away because you can kill someone. Greater men have been ended by the conveyance of their power.”