Atiku disowns online grant scheme

Atiku Abubakar

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has distanced himself from an online grant scheme meant to defraud Nigerians.

An online scheme code-named ‘Atiku Grant Disbursement Programme’ had surfaced online, asking members of the public to contribute a certain amount of money which will be multiplied after they have downloaded a particular social media application.

Reacting to the scheme, Atiku’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, APCO, urged members of the public to “discountenance” the scheme.

In a statement issued by APCO, entitled “Atiku disowns online grant scheme,” the organization said, “The attention of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization (APCO) has been drawn to an on-going scheme that purports to disburse grants to unsuspecting Nigerians.

“Information available to us reveals that the scheme code-named ‘Atiku Grant Disbursement Programme’ (see link bit.ly/2NP4vup) is asking unsuspecting members of the public to contribute a certain amount of money which will be multiplied for them after they have downloaded a particular social media application.

“APCO disclaims this scheme and any other in such manner. For the avoidance of doubt, the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization is not in any way involved with the scheme or any other in such manner and neither did it give a proxy authorization.

“APCO also wishes to inform the general public that the official/verified social media handles of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP and former Vice President of Nigeria remains the following: www.atiku.org (Blog) www.facebook.com/atiku.org (Facebook) www.twitter.com/atiku (Twitter) www.instagram.com/aatiku (Instagram).

“The public is therefore put on notice to discountenance communication that did not emanate from any of these social media accounts and to refrain from participating in any online scheme that is aimed at defrauding innocent Nigerians, with the ulterior motive to embarrass the presidential campaign of Atiku Abubakar.”