FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday said the recent declaration by erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir el-Rufai, that the duo (Atiku and El-Rufai) did not team up to buy any of the government assets offered for sale during the privatisation exercise under President Olusegun Obasanjo administration has vindicated him.
Reacting to an interview of El-Rufai published in the Sunday edition of The Guardian, Atiku’s media office said “everyone here feels vindicated by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and one-time Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nasir el-Rufai’s assertion that the former Vice President and him (El-Rufai) did not buy any companies in the wake of the sale of Federal Government assets.”
El-Rufai, in the interview, had stated emphatically that he and the former Vice President did not team up to buy any of the government assets offered for sale during the BPE-led privatisation exercise contrary to allegations in some quarters. El-Rufai had, as the chief executive officer of the BPE, presided over the privatisation of government assets while Atiku was chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).
In statement on Sunday, the media office said “Atiku feels vindicated by the categorical statement of El-Rufai that the allegations of the duo using their privileged position to buy over Federal Government assets was the handiwork of mischief- makers.”
The Atiku organisation said it was particularly gratifying that notwithstanding the differences in principle between the two, El-Rufai rose in stout defence of the Vice President by insisting that Atiku did not buy up the companies that were offered for sale.
“If they said Atiku bought companies, they should show the world the companies he bought because I was the one selling the companies and Atiku only had approval authority. As far as I know, Atiku didn’t buy any company during privatisation,” El-Rufai had told The Guardian.
Asked if it was true that he had a lot of shady deals with Atiku when he was in charge of the BPE, El-Rufai pointedly replied: “I have not seen any company Atiku bought with possible exception of one suspicious once. Even that one, I have no proof in my hand that Atiku has any link with any company.
“I don’t know if we bought over Nigeria. They should tell us what we bought. The same people who said that I had deals with Atiku turned back and said that I betrayed Atiku because we had differences when I was minister of the FCT. If they said that I bought companies, they should tell me the companies I bought under privatisation because I really need a company as my finances are in disarray,” El-Rufai said.
The statement noted that El-Rufai, having worked closely with the former Vice President, is in good stead to pass a vote of confidence on him.
“Nigerians make such a statement (of allegations of corruption) but cannot substantiate it with facts or evidence. I was involved in the committee that looked at the PDTF (Petroleum Development Trust Fund); a few things happened there that were not quite okay and clear. But I will not go as far as saying that someone is corrupt or not unless I have proof or evidence,” El-Rufai commented
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayReacting to an interview of El-Rufai published in the Sunday edition of The Guardian, Atiku’s media office said “everyone here feels vindicated by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and one-time Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Nasir el-Rufai’s assertion that the former Vice President and him (El-Rufai) did not buy any companies in the wake of the sale of Federal Government assets.”
El-Rufai, in the interview, had stated emphatically that he and the former Vice President did not team up to buy any of the government assets offered for sale during the BPE-led privatisation exercise contrary to allegations in some quarters. El-Rufai had, as the chief executive officer of the BPE, presided over the privatisation of government assets while Atiku was chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).
In statement on Sunday, the media office said “Atiku feels vindicated by the categorical statement of El-Rufai that the allegations of the duo using their privileged position to buy over Federal Government assets was the handiwork of mischief- makers.”
The Atiku organisation said it was particularly gratifying that notwithstanding the differences in principle between the two, El-Rufai rose in stout defence of the Vice President by insisting that Atiku did not buy up the companies that were offered for sale.
“If they said Atiku bought companies, they should show the world the companies he bought because I was the one selling the companies and Atiku only had approval authority. As far as I know, Atiku didn’t buy any company during privatisation,” El-Rufai had told The Guardian.
Asked if it was true that he had a lot of shady deals with Atiku when he was in charge of the BPE, El-Rufai pointedly replied: “I have not seen any company Atiku bought with possible exception of one suspicious once. Even that one, I have no proof in my hand that Atiku has any link with any company.
“I don’t know if we bought over Nigeria. They should tell us what we bought. The same people who said that I had deals with Atiku turned back and said that I betrayed Atiku because we had differences when I was minister of the FCT. If they said that I bought companies, they should tell me the companies I bought under privatisation because I really need a company as my finances are in disarray,” El-Rufai said.
The statement noted that El-Rufai, having worked closely with the former Vice President, is in good stead to pass a vote of confidence on him.
“Nigerians make such a statement (of allegations of corruption) but cannot substantiate it with facts or evidence. I was involved in the committee that looked at the PDTF (Petroleum Development Trust Fund); a few things happened there that were not quite okay and clear. But I will not go as far as saying that someone is corrupt or not unless I have proof or evidence,” El-Rufai commented
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