Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to explain questions reportedly raised by The Economist about $20bn worth of projects allegedly linked to Gilbert Chagoury, a long-time associate of the president.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, said the reported concerns had taken the debate over procurement, government contracts and alleged political influence under the Tinubu-led government beyond domestic political criticism and into the international arena.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Monday, Atiku said the president could not dismiss the concerns by portraying his critics as opposition politicians, noting that The Economist was not a political party or an electoral opponent.
“At prevailing exchange rates, $20bn is approximately ₦27tn. Nigerians deserve to know how projects of such staggering value became concentrated around businesses linked to one man who happens to be a close associate of the president,” Atiku said.
He described the reported value of the projects as too significant to be ignored, particularly at a time when Nigerians are being asked to endure higher taxes, rising living costs and economic hardship.
