Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has applauded the judgment of the Jury in the United States of America which convicted former Congressman William Jefferson of bribery and corruption but acquitted him on the charge of planning to compromise Atiku.  

The United States government was unable to prove a bribe scheme involving Atiku because none ever existed.  Atiku Abubakar was another victim of Jefferson's scheming..Under the corrupt foreign practices act, and in accordance with the judge's instructions, the jury could have found Jefferson guilty of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act  merely by making an offer of payment to the Vice President.The money in the freezer spoke for itself -- this case has nothing to do with the former vice president.

In a statement issued by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, Abubakar said the acquittal of Jefferson on the charge of planning to bribe him vindicates his position over the years that he never had any improper relationship with the former Congressman.

I have consistently maintained that I had no improper relationship with former Congressman Jefferson. My relationship with him was purely official and it was in an effort to attract foreign investors to Nigeria. Congressman Jefferson was Chairman of the House Committee on Nigeria and the request to meet him came from the Nigerian Embassy. His proposal for investment in the Nigerian Communications sector was passed to the Minister of Communications. I am glad that the judgment has confirmed that I had no improper relationship with him. God has shamed the devil and cleared the innocent.

The judgment has also finally unraveled one of the biggest conspiracies in Nigeria's political history: the plot to humiliate me and to stop me from contesting the 2007 presidential election. It is now clear that, that plot was hatched at the highest level of the Nigerian government then in collusion with foreign agencies. The plot was not just to stop me from running for the presidency; it was aimed at denying the Nigerian people the right to choose their own leaders.

In Wednesday's judgment, the Jury acquitted Jefferson on the allegation of “violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Congressman Jefferson had allegedly been caught on tape discussing with his business partner, Lori Mody about the possibility of bribing Nigerian Vice President, Abubakar and other Nigerian officials. The charge included transfer from Mody of $100,000 that Jefferson said was intended as a bribe to Nigerian Vice President Abubakar.

Jefferson denied the charge during trial. He admitted collecting the $100,000 from US businesswoman Mody, but said it was to placate a woman who desperately wanted the business to succeed. Atiku had also consistently denied the charge saying no discussion about money or bribe featured during his brief meeting with Congressman Jefferson in Maryland.

Jefferson had been quoted by the FBI as telling businesswoman Mody that he handed over the African Art, (taken to mean the money) to Atiku during a meeting. The FBI had raided Atiku's wife's residence in Maryland on the strength of the claim but the agency found no money.

Of the $100,000, a total of $90,000 was found hidden in the freezer at the residence of Jefferson. Another $5,000 of the amount had been given out by Jefferson to one of his staff who had financial difficulties.

 The vice president strongly believes in and is committed to the rule of law and an independent judiciary as pillars of democracy.  Vice President Abubakar appreciates the jury's thoughtful consideration of the evidence presented and expresses his continuing confidence in the US, judicial system.  . 

The judgment on Wednesday has finally brought to a close this highly politicized case of a troubled Congressman ensnaring everyone he came in contact with.

JEFFERSON CHARGES AND VERDICTS

Here are the charges and verdicts in the 16-count indictment

Against former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson:2

COUNT

Conspiracy to solicit bribes by a public official

and deprive citizens of honest services by

wire fraud and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices

Act to advance a telecommunications project

sponsored by iGate Inc. of Louisville, Ky.

Guilty

Conspiracy to solicit bribes by a public official

and deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to his efforts on behalf of Arkel Sugar,

LETH Energy, TDC Overseas, Procura Financial

Interests of South Africa and WorldSpace for projects

that included a sugar refinery and fertilizer plant in

Nigeria, development of marginal oil fields in Nigeria,

the sale of garbage-to-energy incinerators in West

African nations; the development of satellite

educational programming in several West African

nations; and a settlement of a dispute regarding oil

development rights off the coast of Sao Tome &

Principe in West Africa.

Not Guilty

Solicitation of bribes by a public official related

to allegations that Jefferson sought payments from

iGate Inc. to a firm controlled by his wife, Andrea, in

return for his help securing telecommunications

projects in Nigeria and Ghana.

Guilty

Solicitation of a bribe by a public official related

to what the government contends was Jefferson

demanding, seeking, receiving, accepting and agreeing

to receive things of value from Lori Mody, the Virginia

investor who wore a wire to record conversations

with the then-congressman.

Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to credit card charges by Jefferson

from his congressional office totaling $14,885.95 for

travel from Washington to Lagos, Nigeria, with the

understanding iGate would reimburse that charge.

Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to a fax from Jefferson to Lori Mody

establishing the percentages of ownership in Mody's

company to be given to Mody, Brett Pfeffer, iGate

and a company controlled by the Jefferson family.

Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to a wire transfer of $59,300 from

Mody's bank account to an account held by the ANJ

Group, headed by Jefferson's wife, Andrea.

Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to a fax from Jefferson to Mody attaching

various documents, including a letter to then-Nigerian

Vice President Atiku Abubakar promoting a

telecommunications project.

Not Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to a fax from Jefferson to Mody with a

copy of a letter from Jefferson to a high-ranking

Ghanaian government official seeking a meeting.

Not Guilty

Deprive citizens of honest services by wire

fraud related to a telephone call from Jefferson in

Ghana to Vernon Jackson in Louisville, Ky., discussing

the progress of meetings with Ghanaian officials.

Guilty

Violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

related to Jefferson’s discussion with Mody about

possibly bribing Nigerian Vice President Abubakar

and other Nigerian officials. Charge includes transfer

from Mody of $100,000 (in FBI money) that Jefferson

said was intended as a bribe to Nigerian Vice President

Abubakar. All but $10,000 was later found in

Jefferson’s freezer.

Not Guilty

Money laundering related to the transfer of a check

for $25,015 written from ANJ payable to the Jefferson

Committee.

Guilty

Money laundering related to the wire transfer of

$25,000 from ANJ to iGate.

Guilty

Money laundering related to the transfer of a check

for $25,000 from an ANJ account made payable to

Andrea Jefferson and deposited to an account held

by both Andrea and William Jefferson.

Guilty

Obstruction of justice related to Jefferson putting

two iGate Inc. faxes into a briefcase while the FBI was

searching his house on Aug. 3, 2005.

Not Guilty

Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization

(RICO), pattern of racketeering activity, related

to what the government says was Jefferson’s use of

his congressional office for illegal activities.

Guilt