*Asks “self righteous” critics to prove he’s corrupt

Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has advised people critics he described as “self righteous political enemies” to either prove alleged corrupt activities against him or mind the skeletons in their own closets and keep quiet.

The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who has been viewed as working continuously against his party and government of his party, said this on Monday at a facility tour of the new ultra-modern Yaliam Press Limited in Jabi area of Abuja.

He also said, in a press statement released by his media office in Abuja, that he would fight corruption like never before if he was given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of the country.

“It is sickening to continue to regurgitate allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office,” former Vice President Abubakar Atiku said.

He added that people who have no initiative, personal resourcefulness and ideas about wealth creation always assumed that a man could not build himself without stealing.

He added that it was morally offensive for people who despised honest labour to become judges in the courts of public opinion.

The Wazirin Adamawa said though he had not been convicted of corruption by any court in the land or elsewhere, his political enemies had been parading a fake morality to fool gullible Nigerians.

“Despite previous desperate efforts to link me with corruption, the William Jefferson trial in the United States ended in 2009 without indicting me or linking me to corrupt activities,” he said.

Atiku, who was responding to the welcome address by the Chairman/CEO of Yaliam Press Limited, Yahaya Ali Amfani, recalled that he pasted a ‘reminder’ at his bed rest during his training as a customs officer that he would retire from any agency if he had not attained the headship of the place at the age of 40.

He also said that he was able to attain the position of deputy director before his exit in 1989 to chart a career in business.

Atiku told the management and staff of Yaliam Press that he retired from the customs service with untainted record, and that if anybody had evidence that he stole a kobo at the customs or during his tenure as vice president, such accusers should come forward or file a petition against him.

Atiku said he didn’t become vice president in 1999 as a pauper because he had been a successful investor throughout his retirement life.