In what observers agreed was an attempt by the federal government to bring pressure to bear on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, ostensibly to force him to reconsider his legal challenge to President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the Feb 23, presidential elections, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested Alhadji Babalele Abdullahi, Finance Director of Atiku’s group of companies in Abuja. 

But a defiant Atiku vowed to proceed with his litigation, assuring his supporters that under no circumstance will he mortgage the mandate of Nigerians as expressed on Feb. 23 Presidential Election.

Abubakar gave the assurance in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Paul Ibe on Saturday in Abuja.

The former Vice-President alleged that in a “desperate move” to make him concede and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari, the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30 a.m. on Saturday invaded the Maitama residence of Babalele.

He said that the personnel of the anti- graft agency were, however, not given access into the house until his lawyers arrived. “The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in two regular vehicles, an 18-seater Toyota bus (registration Abuja CS 522 RSH) and a Hilux van. They came with a search warrant to search the house and office of Babalele and found nothing incriminating. They then proceeded to his office at Oakland Centre in Maitama and found nothing incriminating there.

“However, they took away some documents of landed properties. Not done, the EFCC officials stormed his Wuse residence where they again found nothing incriminating after the search. Afterwards, Babalele was taken away to the EFCC office in Wuse to make a statement alongside Mr. Lawan Ayuba. It was gathered that the petition relied upon to invade the residence and office of Babalele was authored by a brother of the wife of President Buhari.

Atiku said that as a law abiding citizen, he recognized the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations. He, however, said that he would not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.