Atiku raises the alarm over unauthorised payment into private bank account

Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over an unauthorised payment made into one of his private bank accounts.

Atiku said the transaction, reportedly described as a “Contribution Electioneering Campaign”, was neither solicited nor authorised by him or his campaign organisation.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice-president described the circumstances surrounding the transaction as “deeply troubling”.

According to Atiku, the bank account is strictly private and its details are not publicly available.

He questioned how an individual unknown to him was able to obtain the account information and initiate the transfer.

“The transfer originated from a person totally unknown to His Excellency. Neither His Excellency nor his campaign solicited, authorised or has any knowledge of the individual or entity behind the unauthorised payment,” the statement said.

Atiku said the incident raised serious concerns about the security and confidentiality of Nigerians’ banking information.

He warned that if the private banking details of a former vice-president and presidential candidate could be accessed by unknown individuals, the financial privacy of ordinary Nigerians could also be vulnerable.

“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,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate further raised concerns that the account information might have been obtained by individuals with privileged access to confidential banking data.

He warned that such a breach, if established, could expose account holders to criminal threats, including kidnapping, terrorism, banditry and financial fraud.

Atiku described the incident as part of what he characterised as a series of suspicious activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He, however, said the development would not distract him from his political objectives or commitment to contest the election.

“As political activities gather momentum, Nigerians should not be distracted by these tired tactics that smack of character assassination,” he said.

Atiku maintained that he remained focused on providing what he described as credible leadership and practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.