Former Vice-President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over what he described as an unauthorised payment into one of his private bank accounts, alleging that the incident may point to a breach of his confidential banking information.
Atiku said the transaction was labelled “Contribution Electioneering Campaign” but was neither requested nor approved by him or his campaign organisation.
The former vice-president raised the alarm in a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
According to the statement, the account into which the money was transferred is a private account whose details are not publicly available.
Atiku said the individual or entity behind the payment was unknown to him and that neither he nor his campaign had authorised the transaction.
“The transfer originated from a person totally unknown to His Excellency,” the statement said.
“Neither His Excellency nor his campaign solicited, authorised or has any knowledge of the individual or entity behind the unauthorised payment.”
The former vice-president questioned how the sender obtained details of an account that he said had not been made public.
He argued that the development raised broader questions about the protection of confidential banking information in Nigeria, particularly if private financial details belonging to a former vice-president and presidential candidate could be accessed without authorisation.
“If the private banking information of a former Vice President and a leading presidential candidate can be accessed and deployed for reasons yet unknown, then no Nigerian’s financial privacy is safe,” Atiku said.
He further expressed concern that the account information could have been obtained through individuals with privileged access to banking records.
Atiku warned that if such access was established, it could expose account holders to serious security and criminal risks, including potential targeting by kidnappers, terrorists, bandits, fraudsters and other criminal elements.
The ADC candidate did not identify the person or organisation responsible for the transfer and did not state whether any financial institution or law enforcement agency had established how the account details were obtained.
He, however, described the incident as part of what he called a series of “suspicious activities” emerging as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku also suggested that the incident could be connected to attempts to undermine his political campaign, describing such developments as tactics aimed at distracting or damaging his reputation.
“As political activities gather momentum, Nigerians should not be distracted by these tired tactics that smack of character assassination,” he said.
He maintained that the development would not derail his political ambition or commitment to the 2027 election.
“Such desperate antics have failed before and will fail again. The Waziri Adamawa remains focused on offering Nigerians credible leadership and practical solutions to the nation’s challenges,” he added.
The former vice-president’s allegation comes amid increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and major contenders beginning to intensify mobilisation and public engagement.
Atiku’s statement did not provide details of the amount transferred, the identity of the sender, the bank involved or whether the transaction had been reversed or reported to relevant authorities.
He is seeking the ADC presidential ticket as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
(The Whistler)
