Document Shows Atiku Paid $30,000 to Unseat PMB
Former vice-President Atiku Abubakar speaks during the People's Democratic Party (PDP)'s national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on October 6, 2018. - Nigeria's main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) has picked Abubakar to challenge President Buhari who is seeking a second term in presidential polls scheduled for February 2019. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP) (Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)
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A document has been recently released to support the claims that Atiku Abubakar of the PDP paid $30,000 to Fein & DelValle PLLC, a US firm.
It has been alleged that the Presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party, PDP hired the services of the US firm in a bid to unseat President Buhari, the declared winner of the political race.
Initially, when the report of such arrangement was published, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe maintained that it was all “a total fabrication” and fake news launched by the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
But a leaked document showed that Atiku paid the money to the firm two days after signing a 90-day contract (April 1, 2019, to July 1, 2019). He signed the contract on March 24 and paid the money on March 26.
The amount was budgeted for costs and expenses for the 90-day period. In addition, the agreement was for Atiku to separately pay all pre-approved international travels, business class.
According to a document received by the United States’ department of justice Foreign Agents’ Registration Act (FARA), with registration number 6654, on April 2, Fein & DelValle, PLLC, registered as a foreign agent for Atiku and the PDP on March 20.
FARA is a disclosure statute that requires persons acting as agents of foreign principals in a political or quasi-political capacity to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities.
The firm said it received $30,000 from Atiku on March 26, which was confirmed in item 9(a) under the financial information clause of the registration statement.
In item 9(b), the firm made it clear that it did not receive any other thing of value other than money from Atiku.
The lobbyist firm, a registered and active corporate law firm in the US, stated that the agreement with Atiku is in a formal written document.
However, Atiku’s spokesman had not responded to this uprising.
