The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared that they are not investigating Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, drug trafficking allegations, contrarily to the ‘fake’ statement making rounds on social media.
Mr Rotimi Onyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, told Vanguard that the news is fake.
The fake statement:
“Our attention has been drawn to the recently released certified true copy of an order of criminal forfeiture granted against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress by the United States Court of Northern Illinois district dated 23rd July 1993.
“The order borders on issues of criminal forfeiture of funds linked to narcotics smuggling conspiracy and money laundering. We are currently liaising with the Northern Illinois District Court in order to establish more facts about the case before taking a decision.
“We are also studying the judgment in order to determine whether offences which contradict the INEC guidelines and Electoral Act 2022 has been committed.
“We endeavour to expedite the process and shall communicate the results of our findings together with our decision to the general public within ten working dates from today’s date”.
In an updated statement, Festus Okoye, National Commissioner in charge of information and voter Education Committee, denied the investigation.
He said, “A Press Release purported to have been issued by the Commission has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022. It claims that the Commission has commenced investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against one of the Presidential candidates in the forthcoming General Election and is liaising with a Court in the United States of America in pursuit of same to determine possible violation of our guidelines or the Electoral Act 2022.
“We wish to state categorically that the said Press Release did not emanate from the Commission nor is it pursuing the purported course of action. It is the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake.
“Press Releases from the Commission are uploaded to the INEC Press Corps platform and simultaneously disseminated through our website and official social media handles.
“The public is advised to ignore the Press Release.”
