Former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, agreed to accept a bribe in the form of a percentage in order to assist United States Congressman, William Jefferson, secure a business deal in Nigeria, according to the US Grand Jury report which indicted Jefferson for racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money-laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Giving a blow-by-blow account of Jefferson’s dealings, the 94-page indictment entitled “United States of America V William J Jefferson” which referred to Atiku as a “Nigerian Official A� a high-ranking official in the executive branch of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” who “acted in an official capacity for and on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” revealed that the Congressman received the sum of $100,000 from his cohorts meant as bribe money for the former vice-president.
Atiku has, however, consistently denied asking for or receiving bribe in the deal which had sparked off an investigation of the US congressman.
The Nigerian aspect of the investigation led to the indictment of Atiku by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission (EFCC), an Admin-strative Panel of Inquiry headed by Chief Bayo Ojo as well as two panels set up by the last Senate over the management of the finances of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
The grand jury indictment said: “On or about July 18, 2005, following the meeting with Nigerian Official A, Defendant Jefferson and CW traveled from Potomac, Maryland, to Mclean, Virginia, where Defendant Jefferson informed CW (co-operating witness) that, during his private meeting with Nigerian Official A, Defendant Jeff-erson had offered, and Nig-erian Official A had agreed to accept, a bribe in the form of a percentage of the profits generated by the Nigerian Joint Venture in exchange for Nigerian Official A’s official assistance in securing necessary approvals from NITEL.
“On or about July 30, 2005, in Arlington, Virginia, Defendant Jefferson received $100,000 in cash from CW for delivery by Defendant Jefferson to Nigerian Official A� On or about July 30, 2005, following the meeting with CW, Defendant Jefferson drove his car with the $100,000 in cash from Arlington, Virginia, to his residence in Washington D.C.”
Although the report did not indict Atiku personally, it gave further details of what transpired between him, his wife and the US Congressman. In one instance, page 26 of the indictment stated that Jefferson suggested ways in which the bribe money could be received by Atiku’s wife who the report says “lived in Potomac, Maryland.”