Explain $40m Transfers Before Questioning Tinubu, TDF Tells Atiku

The Democratic Front (TDF), has challenged African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to explain allegations surrounding financial transfers linked to his former wife before demanding answers from President Bola Tinubu.

The group made the call in a statement signed by its Chairman, Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Wale Adedayo.

TDF was reacting to Atiku’s demand that President Tinubu explain the circumstances surrounding a $460,000 forfeiture in the United States in 1993. Reports on the case show that the US court ordered the forfeiture of the money following a civil forfeiture proceeding.

The group accused the former vice-president of shifting the focus of the 2027 election from policies to personal issues.

It said Atiku’s recent comments on fuel subsidy had suggested a desire for issue-based campaigns. However, TDF argued that his focus on Tinubu’s decades-old US case contradicted that position.

According to the group, Atiku should first address questions surrounding alleged transfers of about $40 million into accounts linked to Jennifer Douglas, his former wife.

TDF said the alleged transfers occurred between 2000 and 2008 and had previously attracted scrutiny from a US congressional investigation.

The group argued that Atiku should provide Nigerians with details about the source and circumstances of the funds rather than demand explanations from Tinubu.

“We therefore call on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to come clean on the circumstances surrounding the American Senate sub-committee investigation into the illegal transfer of funds into his wife’s account,” the group said.

TDF also disputed the suggestion that Tinubu faced a criminal conviction over the 1993 US case.

Court records show that the US proceedings involved the forfeiture of $460,000 from an account held in Tinubu’s name. The case ended through a settlement, followed by a decree of forfeiture.

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal also previously held that the forfeiture proceeding was a civil matter. It said the evidence before it did not establish that Tinubu had been arraigned, pleaded to a criminal charge or sentenced in the United States.

TDF maintained that the nature of the US proceeding made Atiku’s demand for an explanation from Tinubu misplaced.

“It is instructive to note that there is no aspect of the proceedings that indicted or criminalised President Tinubu over the issue,” the group said.

The group further accused Atiku of trying to divert attention from what it described as unresolved questions about his own record.

It cited claims that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had acknowledged blocking an FBI investigation into Atiku because of concerns about its possible effect on his administration and Nigeria.

TDF said Nigerians deserved clearer explanations about the alleged movement of funds into accounts associated with Douglas.

The US State Department’s 2010 human rights report, citing an investigation by a foreign legislative body, reported allegations that Atiku and Jennifer Douglas had moved more than $40 million in suspect funds from Nigeria between 2000 and 2008. It also said the report included allegations of at least $1.7 million in bribe payments from a foreign corporation.

However, those allegations should be distinguished from a judicial finding of guilt. The State Department report described them as findings from an investigation rather than a criminal conviction against Atiku.

TDF nevertheless argued that the issues warranted clarification from the ADC candidate as the 2027 presidential contest approaches.

The group said Atiku should address the allegations before making personal integrity a central issue in his campaign.

“We deem it constitutionally and morally incumbent on the ADC presidential candidate to come to equity with clean hands, before demanding explanations from President Tinubu on a US civil forfeiture incident,” it said.