EFCC releases Atiku’s son-in-law, arrests his lead counsel as PDP set to file presidential suit today
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has released Babalele Abdullahi, the son-in-law of PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar who was arrested on allegations of money laundering.
Abdullahi was arrested on Saturday for interrogation after the anti-graft agency sought to find his role in financing the presidential campaign of Atiku, having served as the Director of finance for some of Atiku’s companies.
In the build up to his release, EFCC had invited the Lead Counsel of Atiku, Tanimu Turaki (SAN) to sign the release documents of Abdullahi. He was subsequently detained as Abdullahi regained his freedom.
Turaki served as the deputy director-general of PDP Presidential Campaign Organization in the concluded presidential election. His detention was carried out on Monday, just a day to the official filing of the presidential suit against APC’s Muhammadu Buhari over the conduct and outcome of the election where the APC candidate emerged winner.
The perceived incidence of the action has ruffled some feathers within the ranks of PDP who have accused the Buhari-led government of using organs of the state to silence and intimidate opponents.
“Tanimu Turaki’s arrest and detention is part of the grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the APC to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders and scuttle PDP’s determination to reclaim our February 23, 2019 Presidential election victory in court,” the party said in a statement.
The party demanded the unconditional release of the detained counsel as no amount of intimidation will deter them from pursuing a legal redress to the presidential election.