Atiku denies statement on Buhari, says peddlers mischievous

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied a statement credited to him on his tweeter handle that President Muhammadu Buhari belonged to the prison, following an illegal payment of $496 million to the U.S government for purchase of Tucano jets.

Alhaji Atiku was said to have tweeted: “I think @MBuhari should go and join Dasuki at Kuje prison because both have committed the same crime. …#ilegal withdrawal.

He was also alleged to have tweeted that there was no difference in the crime Buhari had committed with that of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd.

However in a swift reaction on his genuine tweeter handle on Friday night, Atiku Abubakar denied tweeting such a gutter statement, saying the peddlers were trying to create mischief.

He said: “These are aren’t my words and never emanated from my official handle. It’s contrived and targeted to create mischief.”

Also reacting, one of Atiku’s support group, Atiku Solidariy Movement said the alleged statement credited to Atiku was an unprovoked attack on the Atiku Abubakar brand.

“We are aware he is the main threat to most politicians in Nigeria today but H.E Atiku Abubakar will never result to gutter politics no matter the provocation,” had said on Friday night.

Another support group, Atiku_nation Icg said the tweet was the hand work of detractors trying to tarnish the image of Atiku. “Detractors will always device means to discredit sellable candidate like Atiku.”

Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to be under fire from lawmakers in the National Assembly over the payment of $496m for purchase of Tucano jets without their approval.

Lawmakers described Buhari’s act as a breach of constitution and called for his impeachment.

The president had said he took the action because the US gave Nigeria a deadline for payment. He also sought to include the procurement of the aircraft in the 2018 budget.