Politics-Nigeria - The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has tasked the Presidency to probe allegation leveled against people very close to President Goodluck Jonathan instead of hounding opposition with phantom corrupt allegations. Speaking through his spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Lagos on Sunday, the presidential candidate absolved himself of any wrong doing in the infamous 53 suitcases saga of 1984. A newspaper story had suggested that the Presidential Campaign Council may have commenced moves to discredit Buhari using the 1984 suite case saga as the tool with which to tarnish his image ahead of the presidential polls.

The CPC presidential hopeful maintained that no amount of blackmail will prevent him from going ahead with his desire to lead the nation, saying that his clean record still remains and that he is the most credible candidate for Nigerians to elect as their president.

Buhari who in the statement raised sundry issues which he wants the president to react to said the suitcases being referred to belonged to the then Nigeria's former Ambassador to Libya, Dr Tahir Waziri who returned to the country at the same time with the late Emir of Gwandu who incidentally was the father to the ADC to Buhari at that time.

Explaining Buhari's role in the incidence, Odumakin wrote, "In 1984, the Emir of Gwandu whose son was ADC to General Buhari was returning to the country from overseas. The Head of state on learning of his arrival asked his son to go and receive him at the airport as they were only playing squash at the time.

The former leader went further to raise six posers for the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Council to include explanation, "On case of N104m seized from Nancy Ebere Nwosu who allegedly swore to an affidavit to the EFCC that she was laundering money for Dame Patience Jonathan?"

Others include the allegation of $13.5m USD allegedly seized from another associate of the First Lady as well as explanation money left in the coffers of Bayelsa State at the time he took over as well as the continuous depletion of the nation's treasury to fund white elephant projects.

Olaolu Oladipo

Leadership/21/03/2011