Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called for an investigation to unravel the new ownership structure of multi-billion naira telecoms firm, Etisalat Nigeria (now 9mobile) as well as Keystone Bank.
The former vice president, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday and signed by his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, said such a probe was necessary in view of reports that members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family now own substantial shares in Etisalat Nigeria (9mobile) which has an estimated $2billion (about N727billion at 360 per dollar) of its estimated $20billion global net worth.
Mr Abubakar also expressed shock at reports from what he described as unimpeachable sources that the first family now plays big in the nation’s financial sector after acquiring mouthwatering shares in Keystone Bank with total assets of $1.916billion (equivalent to N307.5billion) as well as purchasing about N3billion worth of shares in the new Pakistani Islamic Bank.
“I know that last week was turbulent for President Buhari and I apologise for adding to his woes, but as he is insistent on the myth that he is spotless and anti-corrupt, if this is found to be true, this scandal would break every rule of corporate and public governance, since this will be the first time members of the first family will be openly involved in a once-in-a-lifetime deal that would make them all richer beyond their wildest dreams,” Abubakar said.
He added that the accusation was coming amidst allegations in the media that the Federal Government plans to use billions of naira from the Anchor Borrowers Programme allocated by the Central Bank of Nigeria for farmers, using imaginary donations from 12 million farmers as a façade.
He further advised President Buhari to shun the use of state resources and machinery for the upcoming 2019 election.
