BREAKING: Atiku Sets the Record Straight – Says Okowa Didn’t Fund 2023 Presidential Campaign

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has responded to allegations linking his running mate, former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to funding his campaign. Okowa was recently arrested on accusations of mismanaging Delta State funds totaling an estimated N1.3 trillion from the state’s 13% oil derivation allocation between 2015 and 2023.

Following Okowa’s arrest, rumors surfaced that some of these funds may have been funneled into Atiku’s 2023 presidential campaign. In a statement on Saturday, however, Atiku’s broadcast media adviser, Abdul Rasheeth, denied these claims, stressing that Okowa had no role in financing the campaign.

Rasheeth explained that Atiku has always funded his campaigns independently, without financial contributions from his running mates. He cited Atiku’s history of selecting running mates based on merit, not financial backing, recalling that he chose Ben Obi in 2007, Peter Obi in 2019, and Okowa in 2023 for their qualifications, not their titles or finances. He called the allegations unfounded and aimed at tarnishing both Atiku’s and Okowa’s reputations.