The All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged of “criminal conspiracy” between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the alleged cyber criminal, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, recently arrested by police in Dubai and extradited to the United States.
The ruling party, APC, on Saturday, in a statement, accused the country’s major opposition party, PDP, of having a relationship with Hushpuppi, and thereby called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for probe.
The APC, in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, alleged that there have been reports of “criminal conspiracy linking” top members of the PDP to the arrested Instagram celebrity.
In the statement, the APC said: “The PDP leadership turned Dubai into their “Strategic” meeting place ahead of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, and ‘Hushpuppi’s’ affinity with the PDP leadership is not mere coincidence.
“At different times, ‘Hushpuppi’ was photographed in Dubai meeting with the PDP’s 2019 presidential candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Senator Dino Melaye among other PDP stalwarts.”
ALSO READ: Hushpuppi conspired to defraud Premier League Club of $124 million, US State Dept says
Consequently, the APC called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter.
“We note that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has already declared the arraigned Instagram celebrity wanted over fraud allegations.
“However, the EFCC, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other sister agencies must investigate money laundering reports linkingp some PDP leaders and financiers to the Dubai-based international criminal ring,” the APC said, as it challenged the PDP to open up on the nature of their relationship with ‘Hushpuppi’.
“In the leadup to the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, we renew our call against monetised elections and vote buying schemes which the PDP has serially deployed in elections.
“We call on relevant authorities to up their guard to prevent these practices that threaten the sanctity of our elections. The people’s will and votes should determine elections, not illicit money used to buy votes,” the APC said.
Recall that Hushpuppi, a Dubai-based Nigerian and his gang were arrested in June by Dubai Police for allegedly conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams.
In the charges filed against him in a US court, it was said among others that, “Abbas and others further conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club, the complaint alleges.”
In a statement released by the US Department of State, dated July 3, 2020, authorities also alleged that, “Hushpuppi and his gang members were alleged to have conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club.”
“If convicted of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, Abbas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
