Atiku dares Tinubu govt to prosecute him over alleged $16bn spent on power under Obasanjo

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the current Bola Tinubu administration to investigate and prosecute him over allegations of mismanagement of funds related to the power sector during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. In a statement released by his spokesman Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the Tinubu-led government of using old allegations to distract from questions about the use of revenues saved from the petrol subsidy removal.

He noted that the allegations against him had been raised repeatedly without resulting in any prosecution, despite successive governments having access to the investigative machinery of the state. Atiku emphasized that he had left office in 2007 and has spent much of the time since opposing governments in power. He accused the current administration of hypocrisy, claiming that while ordinary Nigerians are enduring the consequences of subsidy removal, powerful economic interests continue to benefit from fiscal incentives, waivers, and concessions.

Atiku urged the government to account for the resources it has gained since the removal of petrol subsidy and asked, "Where is the people's money?"