The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Birthday celebration, Atiku Abubakar, has bemoaned the detention of a former Government Secretary, Nationwide Condition Insurance coverage Scheme, Prof Usman Yusuf.
In a tweet by means of his X maintain on Friday, Atiku described Yusuf as a “fierce and unyielding social critic,” announcing his detention is most likely “politically motivated.”
PUNCH On-line reviews that Yusuf used to be arrested by means of operatives of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, for allegedly awarding words to nation participants future in place of job.
He used to be additionally accused of inflating the scheme’s ICT funds from N4.975 billion to N8.7 billion and approving bills past his esteem restrict.
The nearest month, Yusuf seemed earlier than Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu on the Federal Capital Space Prime Courtroom, Kuje, Abuja, for his scheduled arraignment on allegations of fraud.
Then again, the courtroom adjourned the case to permit for modification of fees.
In his tweet, the previous Vice President, future acknowledging that the fees introduced in opposition to Yusuf were lingering because the date management, criticised the President Bola Tinubu-led executive for the use of the “machinery of the state to silence its critics.”
“Two days in the past, the community used to be jolted by means of the arrest of Schoolmaster Usman Yusuf, a fierce and unyielding social critic. Although the fees in opposition to him were festering because the earlier management, it’s not possible to forget about the sturdy chance that his detention is politically enthusiastic.
“The Tinubu executive, regardless of being riddled with people who themselves are embroiled in scandals and investigations by means of each native and world government, continues to significance the very equipment of the surrounding to peace its critics. It weaponises those pending investigations to withhold all opposition.
“It’s absurd that future the management shelters the ones underneath investigation, it continues to take advantage of surrounding establishments to block dissent, all underneath the fake pretence of preventing corruption.
“Even to the most inattentive, it has become glaringly clear that Tinubu is not waging a war on corruption — he is waging a war on the opposition, manipulating the system for his political advantage,” Atiku said.
The previous NHIS boss is about to be arraigned on February 3, 2025.