TheCable

Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, has said he will shock Nigerians with the manner in which he will fight corruption if elected president of the country.

Atiku said those making corruption allegations against him have so far been unable to produce a “single shred of evidence” to back their claims.

He urged those with proof of his alleged pilfering during his time in public service to file a petition against him.

While noting that he had always been a tacit investor even before becoming vice president, he said only those bereft of ideas about wealth creation will “assume that a man cannot build himself without stealing”.

Atiku urged his political enemies, whom he says call him a thief because of his “resourcefulness,” to explain how they came about their “stupendous wealth”.

According to a statement released by his media office, Atiku made the comments on Monday during a tour of Yaliam Press Limited in Jabi, Abuja.

He was quoted as saying: “I will shock everyone because I believe that I will fight corruption like never before.

“It is sickening to continue to regurgitate allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.

“People who are bereft of ideas about entrepreneurial spirit always think that everyone else is a thief just like them.

“Despite previous desperate efforts to link me with corruption, the William Jefferson trial in the United States ended in 2009 without indicting me or linking me to corrupt activities.

“If Atiku is a thief merely because of his resourcefulness and successful investments, my political enemies should tell Nigerians the sources of their own stupendous wealth.”