Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed renewed allegations linked to his political disagreement with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, insisting that no court convicted him over the matters despite investigations by several government institutions.
Atiku’s position was contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to the renewed circulation of allegations dating back to the Obasanjo administration.
Shaibu described the development as an attempt by Atiku’s political opponents to divert attention from the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
He said the issues had already passed through several institutions during the height of the political disagreement between Atiku and Obasanjo, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts.
According to Atiku, the fact that allegations or petitions were investigated should not be interpreted as proof of criminal guilt.
He maintained that no court convicted him on the allegations, challenging anyone with credible evidence to present it through lawful channels.
“A petition is not a conviction, an acknowledgement stamp is not evidence of guilt, and repetition cannot magically become a judgment of court,” he said.
The former vice president also questioned what new evidence had emerged in 2026 to warrant the renewed focus on allegations from decades ago.
Atiku further contrasted the controversy surrounding him with President Bola Tinubu’s reported intervention in a United States court case concerning requests for records from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration.
He argued that public officials should be open to scrutiny and that allegations against political figures should be subjected to lawful examination rather than political rhetoric.
Atiku also shifted attention to issues he said were more pressing to Nigerians, including the rising cost of food, transportation, electricity, rent, education and healthcare, as well as insecurity.
He argued that revisiting old political allegations would not resolve the economic pressures facing households and businesses.
The former vice president also warned against the politicisation of institutions such as the EFCC, saying the commission should investigate genuine wrongdoing regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that state institutions should not be used as political instruments against opponents.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, Atiku said Nigerians would ultimately judge political leaders based on their records, the conditions in which citizens live and the future being offered to them.
His statement adds another layer to the growing political exchanges ahead of the 2027 elections, as political actors increasingly turn public attention to past records, accountability and governance.
