Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was arrested after the anti-graft agency invited him to sign a bail document for Babalele Abdullahi, son-in-law of Atiku and finance director of some companies owned by the PDP presidential candidate.

Paul Ibe, Atiku’s spokesman, had confirmed that Turaki is the lawyer coordinating the suit to challenge the outcome of the presidential election.

“He is the one coordinating the team of lawyers, so you should just use your tongue to count your teeth to understand why he has been arrested,” he had told TheCable.

The PDP had alleged that the lawyer’s arrest was “part of the grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders.”

However, sources said that Turaki was grilled over alleged money laundering charges to the tune of N10 million.

It was alleged that he laundered the said amount when he headed the committee on Boko Haram amnesty when he served as the minister of special duties under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

In 2014, Jonathan had declared amnesty for members of the sect, promising to pursue “all options” to end the insurgency.

The committee was set up to explore the possibilities of amnesty in the northern part of the country as a result of a series of violence and insurgency.

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Abdullahi was arrested on Saturday and released after the anti-graft agency invited Tanimu Turaki, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) leading the defence team of Atiku to sign a bail document for him.

But the commission detained Turaki, who is also deputy director-general of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Tony Orilade, EFCC spokesman, confirmed his arrest to TheCable on Tuesday but did not give details. “I heard of it yesterday; but let me get confirmation and the details.”

Paul Ibe, Abubakar’s spokesman, said Turaki is the lawyer coordinating the suit to challenge the outcome of the presidential election, adding that the suit had been finalised and is supposed to be filed in court on Tuesday.

“He is the one coordinating the team of lawyers, so you should just use your tongue to count your teeth to understand why he has been arrested,” he said.

“Why is President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC scared of a legal challenge? Why are they mobilising all sorts of people and group to beg His Excellency (Atiku) not to go to court?”

Abdullahi, who has been in EFCC custody over allegations of money laundering, was subsequently freed by the commission after Turaki’s arrest

Reacting via a statement, the PDP said Turaki’s arrest is “part of the grand plot by the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders.”

The statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, the party spokesman, said the development is also to scuttle “PDP’s determination to reclaim our February 23, 2019 Presidential election victory in court.”

“Since the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the PDP expressed our unwavering determination to reclaim our victory at the tribunal, being armed with overwhelming evidence, our leaders have been subjected to escalated harassments, constant threats, blackmails, cajoling and contrivances by the APC to drop our legal option,” the party said.

“The PDP, however, states in clear terms that the APC and the Buhari Presidency are fighting a lost battle as no amount of harassment and threats will ever make the party to buckle in its determination to take back the mandate, in line with the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.”

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Atiku, who disclosed this in a statement issued on his behalf by Paul Ibe, his media aide, said it is part of the plot to make him concede the election and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari.

The presidential candidate vowed not to be blackmailed into “mortgaging the mandate” Nigerians gave to him.

“In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30am today (Saturday) invaded the Maitama residence of Babalele. They were however not given access into the house until his lawyers arrived,” he said in a statement.

“The EFCC agents numbering about two dozen came in 2 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 property.

“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.”

He said he learnt that the anti-graft agency acted based on a petition written by an in-law of the president.

“As a law abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognizes the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate,” he said.

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