Prove My Link With Hushpuppi, Dogara Dares APC

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has reacted to the recent attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to associate him with Hushpuppi, the Nigerian alleged internet fraudster arrested in Dubai a fortnight ago.

Reacting to a statement signed by APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, which sought to link him and other PDP leaders with Hushpuppi, the Bauchi State-born lawmaker in a statement said it was “infantile, rash and fatuous” for him to be linked with an individual who only took pictures with him at a public gathering.

The APC had called for the investigation of the opposition politicians for featuring in a photo with the suspected cyber-criminal. The photo appears to have been taken some years back.

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The statement signed by Dogara’s spokesman, Turaki Hassan read, “The statement issued by one Yekini Nabena on behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC) desperately seeking to link Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara to suspected cyber criminals on the basis of a group picture taken at a public event is to say the least; infantile, rash and fatuous.

“This smellfungus called Nabena should have known that it is shared mindlessness to attempt to execute mischief and blackmail in plain sight before the public some of whom are better informed. Who is that fool that links people to criminal activity simply because they appeared in a group picture at a public event comprising of people from different walks of life?

If appearing in a group photograph is what Nabena is now using to establish a link or connection to crimes or alleged criminals, then, why didn’t he issue such a statement in the wake of the arrest of a suspected money launderer by name Ismaila Mustapha, aka Mompha, whose pictures with notable personalities including some APC governors are all over the social media? Is Nabena guilty of selective amnesia or share perfidy? Who is Nabena scared of? Who is he trying to fool?”

For the records, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara has agreed to waive his right to a trial and go to jail if Nabena establishes any form of links or connection between him and the alleged cybercriminal before the event where the picture was taken and after the event until now. For Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, that picture was just another picture among the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of such pictures with Nigerians from all walks of life.

If the said Nabena is worth his salt, next time he speaks, he should speak to issues affecting the welfare of our union, which are well known to all discerning Nigerians. Nabena should or ought to know that there is no honour in speaking about group pictures taken at public events when the nation is bleeding and most Nigerian families are struggling and hurting.”