Presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has seen his dwindling chances in the presidential election set for today diminish even further following the uncovering of his plot to purchase votes with fake dollar bills.
The illegal plan, which follows a damaging audio leak of an alleged elaborate meeting between the candidate and other PDP henchmen on how to buy votes, was uncovered by journalists who were tipped by displeased members of Ogun PDP who described the general frustration of the party over cash shortage.
Multiple sources confirmed a meeting at Park Inn hotel in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, where the governorship candidate of the PDP acknowledged the receipt of $500,000 vote-buying funds from Atiku but lamented it was not nearly enough to cover the inducement cost.
To bridge the deficit, the candidate, with the support of Atiku, decided to augment the sum with fake dollar bills up to the tune of $500,000 which were procured in the Benin Republic.
According to a source present at the meeting, the PDP governorship candidate and other National Assembly candidates in Ogun have resolved to share the fake notes to the people for their votes, while pocketing the original.
“The plan is to share 80% of the fake dollar bills to the people. That way, they can pocket the original notes for personal use. What they are releasing now are fake dollar bills, with hopes that the people will not be able to spot the difference,” the source said.
Sources in other parts of the country made the same claim, painting the picture of a desperate tactic by the former Vice President who is predicted by local and international polls to lose the election.
Atiku’s ambition is considered out-of-turn in southern Nigeria based on the country’s sensitive north-south power-sharing agreement. In the north, staggering allegations of corruption have rendered him unelectable and a perpetual loser.