15:T732,

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has made a mockery of the much touted anti-corruption crusade of his erstwhile boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

A forthcoming book entitled Atiku Media Office: The Wars, The Victories alleges that Obasanjo heavily enriched himself as elected President from 1999 to 2007. Atiku was Obasanjo’s deputy until the two fell out along the line.

The book, which has Atiku’s approval, says about Obasanjo and his anti-graft war: “It is, however, ironic that the same EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission), whose only allegation against Atiku Abubakar is authorisation of placement of deposits in interest-yielding bank accounts, failed to see anything wrong or even curious is a situation where Obasanjo who in 1999 had less than N20,000 in his bank account managed to acquire several highly mechanised multi-million naira farms in all the six geo-political zones of the country; Obasanjo palm oil farms in Calabar; his farm at Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, the biggest of its kind in Africa; big fish farms in Lanlate and Ota; a big poultry farm in Ibogun and oil palm and estate at Ehuuagie, Rivers State.

“As if that was not enough, Obasanjo’s investments allegedly stretch across all sectors of the economy with such ventures as the multi-million naira Temperance Hotel, Ota; the Bells Secondary School and University; Transcorp, which owns the Abuja Hilton, NITEL, oil blocks; steel company, as well as a speculated interest in the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot-Abasi, which was allegedly sold to foreign interests allegedly at a price believed to be far below its actual value.”

Obasanjo has yet to respond to the allegations.

•Photo: Ex-VP Atiku Abubakar.

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