Diaspora Funding: Atiku Campaign Disowns Groups Seeking To Raise Funds

The campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had disowned a group seeking to raise diaspora funding for the candidate, saying it has not authorised any organisation to embark on such action.

The Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation (AACO) stated this while responding to an undated letter issued under the authority of a “Campaign Coordinator/ President” of a group calling itself the Atiku Abubakar Business Supporters in Diaspora (AABSID).

This letter according to AACO is titled “Fundraising Dinner Event for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Presidential Election Campaign 2023” and is apparently sent to potential donors and members of the general public inviting donations to the presidential campaign of our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in exchange for unfettered access to Atiku Abubakar, among other promises.

Distancing itself from the organisation, AACO in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP said the group isn’t know to Atiku adding that it was not authorised to embark on diaspora funding for the campaign.

The statement said, “The Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation hereby notifies the general public, particularly Nigerians in the Diaspora as well as corporate organisations within and outside Nigeria, that the Atiku Abubakar Business Supporters in Diaspora (AABSID) is a body/organisation unknown to our candidate, and neither he nor the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation has authorised any such fundraising event to be held on his behalf nor on behalf of his Campaign Organisation.

“The general public is hereby notified that the aforementioned Atiku Abubakar Business Supporters in Diaspora (AABSID) is not in any way affiliated or related to Atiku Abubakar and the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, and has not been mandated or authorised in any way whatsoever to represent the candidate or his campaign in any matter whatsoever.

“In line with the foregoing, any person or organisation dealing with the aforementioned Atiku Abubakar Business Supporters in Diaspora (AABSID) and/or its Campaign Coordinator/President or indeed with any other organization for the purposes of raising funds for our presidential candidate does so at their own risk and responsibility,” the campaign organisation stated.