Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 election, Atiku Abubakar, has denied reports saying he hired a United States’ lobbyist firm for $30,000 to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari defeated Atiku in the presidential election conducted in February by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Several media (not Qed.ng) had reported that a former Justice Department official, Bruce Fein, and his firm, Fein & DelValle PLLC, registered as foreign agents of PDP and Atiku on March 24.
It was also reported that the lobbying firm was meant to encourage US Congress and executive not to recognise Buhari as Nigerian president until all legal cases challenging his victory were concluded.
In a statement, however, on Wednesday by Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate said the report was fabricated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement read: “Since Atiku resisted pressure not to go to court, the APC has been behaving like a cat on hot bricks because the outcome of the 2019 elections have exposed and shattered the facade of their dubious integrity.
“The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed; they are now using fake news against Atiku instead of focusing on defending themselves in court.”
It concluded that “no amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the stolen mandate.”
