The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the recently concluded election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has distanced himself from the GoFundMe account set up on Tuesday to support his case at the tribunal.
A Special Assistant on Public Communications and Strategy to the former Vice-President, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said this while reacting to the setting up of the account which stirred up a heated debate on social media.
“We do not know anything about it. We are not in any way connected to it but we consider it as a purely private initiative of the promoters,” he said.
Although a search on the GoFundMe website shows that the account has been taken down, it was learnt that over $800 (N288,000) out of the target $100,000 (N36m) was donated within 24 hours.
Many questioned the propriety of asking Nigerians to donate money to fund Atiku’s case despite the fact that the PDP candidate is said to own companies that rake in billions of naira yearly.
I saw Sega trending coz he supported and shared GoFundme Acct link for Atiku. All this guys accusing him forgot that the same @segalink supported and shared GoFundme Acct for @YeleSowore @MoghaluKingsley and other candidates. I wonder why some people reason from their anus.
— Black J? (@AkinnubiOmotola) March 6, 2019
Those opening a GoFundMe for @atiku are scammers, I once sent close 2 a million Naira for a campaign to one of those behind it, he chopped the money, cleaned mouth and I never heard a word about it again. I didn’t say anything because it’s not that serious, however, caveat emptor
— Mr. Aye Dee (@MrAyeDee) March 6, 2019
They started a competition filming beggers from Northern Nigeria, humiliating them, asking them to 'go and beg from your Hausa Fulani @MBuhari
Now they are BEGGING on @gofundme for @atiku a multi-billionaire Hausa-Fulani and you still wonder why the poor DID not vote @atiku? pic.twitter.com/YZjPQFv20QAdvertisement
— Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) March 6, 2019
You must be part of the beneficiary of that dubious GoFundMe account.
Working on the psyche of some foolish and gullible @atiku supporters.
PS: You need not deny. Segalink already denied it. I don't expect you to admit to it.
Thank you. https://t.co/Gqby6smGFR
— Olúwásèyí (@seyidoxa) March 6, 2019