The former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has denied having any property in Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Aliyu said in a statement signed by his Adviser on Media, Mr. Israel Ebije, on Friday that a list of political office holders who are alleged to have properties in the UAE, circulating on the social media was nothing but a product of mischief.
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, who was also mentioned in the list of Nigerian leaders who own houses in the Arab country, dissed such reports, asking that those who have made such claims should provide the evidence.
Gov Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State was first to refute the publication which has been circulating online, saying that he has no property whatsoever in Dubai and that those who have any evidence linking him to any of such said properties should come open with them.
While challenging those behind the information to produce evidence of such properties including pictures, he asked the Federal Government to take over any property found to belong to him in Dubai as he did not have any.
Aliyu urged the people of Niger State and Nigerians at large to ignore the reports which he described as false.
He said, “I do not have properties in Dubai or Abu Dhabi as peddled by some media organizations. I don’t even own a mattress outside Nigeria.
“They should do their investigation and if I am found guilty of owning any property in UAE, the Federal Government should appropriate it.
“I wish therefore to tell Nigerians to discard the allegation. It is not true, it’s mischievous, misleading and aimed at rubbishing my name”
He said that he was in support of the current move being made by the President to retrieve stolen funds and to make political offices less attractive in the country.
“I am totally committed to the President Muhammadu Buhari decisive effort towards repatriating stolen funds and his plan towards making political offices less palatable and incidence of impunity as low as possible. I am however concerned over baseless accusations peddled against my person,” he added
Aliyu , who said belonged to the group of politicians who did not loot his state treasury.
He decried the prevalent situation where all opposition political figures are viewed as corrupt.
According to him, targeting the opposition as corrupt is inimical to the credibility of the campaign against corruption.
He said that he was being exposed to allegations of corruption because of his decision to remain in the PDP.
Aliyu said that he led the G-7 group of governors to fight impunity in the PDP and wondered if such allegations would have been made against him if he had moved to the APC.
Kayode on his part was reported by 360 Nobs as simply dismissive of the list. According to the report, the former aviation minster and spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign organization, Femi Fani-Kayode, expressed his gratitude to those bestowed him such an honour and ‘requested for the address and keys to the house they said he has in Dubai.’
