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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Nigeria leader denies corruption | Nigeria leader denies corruption |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's president has denied claims by his deputy that he awarded contracts to his favourite aides and ministers. | Nigeria's president has denied claims by his deputy that he awarded contracts to his favourite aides and ministers. |
| Atiku Abubakar told a parliamentary committee probing him for fraud that it was President Olusegun Obasanjo that was corrupt and not him. | Atiku Abubakar told a parliamentary committee probing him for fraud that it was President Olusegun Obasanjo that was corrupt and not him. |
| He alleged Mr Obasanjo paid $1.9m to a lawyer to register a company, about nine times the real registration cost. | He alleged Mr Obasanjo paid $1.9m to a lawyer to register a company, about nine times the real registration cost. |
| But one of Mr Obasanjo's aides said the vice-president had control of the funds in question - not the president. | |
| The vice-president backed a campaign that stopped Mr Obasanjo from running for a third term in office next year. | The vice-president backed a campaign that stopped Mr Obasanjo from running for a third term in office next year. |
| "The president is not attaching any seriousness to Atiku's allegations because they are absolutely baseless," said Uba Sani, Mr Obasanjo's special assistant on public affairs. | "The president is not attaching any seriousness to Atiku's allegations because they are absolutely baseless," said Uba Sani, Mr Obasanjo's special assistant on public affairs. |
| Mr Abubakar is expected to seek the nomination for the opposition Action Congress party as their presidential candidate this week. | Mr Abubakar is expected to seek the nomination for the opposition Action Congress party as their presidential candidate this week. |
| In September, Nigeria's anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Mr Abubakar of fraudulently using public funds from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). | In September, Nigeria's anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Mr Abubakar of fraudulently using public funds from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). |
| Mr Abubakar denies that he diverted $125m into personal business interests. | Mr Abubakar denies that he diverted $125m into personal business interests. |
| 'Persecution' | 'Persecution' |
| The vice-president hit back at President Obasanjo with detailed counter-allegations of corruption at the Senate committee hearing in Abuja. | The vice-president hit back at President Obasanjo with detailed counter-allegations of corruption at the Senate committee hearing in Abuja. |
| PTDF monies are now regularly and whimsically doled out to individuals, groups and causes that catch their fancy Vice-President Atiku Abubakar | PTDF monies are now regularly and whimsically doled out to individuals, groups and causes that catch their fancy Vice-President Atiku Abubakar |
| "PTDF monies are now regularly and whimsically doled out to individuals, groups and causes that catch their fancy," Mr Abubakar told the Senate committee investigating him. | "PTDF monies are now regularly and whimsically doled out to individuals, groups and causes that catch their fancy," Mr Abubakar told the Senate committee investigating him. |
| But Mr Sani said Mr Obasanjo has no direct access to PTDF funds. | But Mr Sani said Mr Obasanjo has no direct access to PTDF funds. |
| "Atiku has been heading the PTDF for the past seven years now and all monies going out of the fund are approved by the vice president and not the president," he said. | "Atiku has been heading the PTDF for the past seven years now and all monies going out of the fund are approved by the vice president and not the president," he said. |
| During the hearing, Mr Abubakar said the charges against him were part of a smear campaign to prevent him from running for president in the country's general elections due in April. | During the hearing, Mr Abubakar said the charges against him were part of a smear campaign to prevent him from running for president in the country's general elections due in April. |
| "Let me also point out that you can only fully understand why these allegations have been made against me by locating them within the context of the political persecution that I have been subjected to by the president and his people in the last few years," he said. | "Let me also point out that you can only fully understand why these allegations have been made against me by locating them within the context of the political persecution that I have been subjected to by the president and his people in the last few years," he said. |
| Mr Abubakar fell out with Mr Obasanjo over the president's thwarted plan to amend the constitution and run for a third term - which was blocked. | Mr Abubakar fell out with Mr Obasanjo over the president's thwarted plan to amend the constitution and run for a third term - which was blocked. |
| The BBC's Senan Murray in Abuja says his bitter feud with the president remains a major set-back to Mr Abubakar's presidential ambition - as incumbency remains a key factor in Nigerian elections. | The BBC's Senan Murray in Abuja says his bitter feud with the president remains a major set-back to Mr Abubakar's presidential ambition - as incumbency remains a key factor in Nigerian elections. |
| The president has spearheaded a high-profile anti-corruption campaign in recent years. | The president has spearheaded a high-profile anti-corruption campaign in recent years. |