$460,000 forfeiture: You can’t outrun your past, Atiku’s aide hits Tinubu

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja

 

The Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Phrank Shaibu has lambasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for trying to present the $460,000 forfeiture case as one relating to tax evasion and not drug charges.

 

Shaibu said in a statement that after the lies told by Tinubu and his surrogates, the truth had finally been unraveled through the processes filed by the All Progressives Congress at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

 

He said, “Festus Keyamo had gone on national television to say that Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 was based on tax obligations. At least they have now finally admitted that the forfeiture was in relation to a drug trafficking case even though Tinubu did not admit guilt.

 

“But what has been established is that Justice John Nordberg ordered on October 4, 1993, that the funds in the amount of $460,000 held in First Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu represent the proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 U.S. 1956 and 1957.

 

“Tinubu should know that he cannot outrun his past. He was investigated in relation to heroin trafficking. He had millions of dollars in his account while on a salary of $2, 500 monthly, and he forfeited part of it in order to escape jail. These are the facts. Elections are over, and he should stop lying to Nigerians.”

 

Shaibu said Keyamo’s lack of understanding of the legal proceedings was one of the reasons he failed as a prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

 

“Festus Keyamo’s law degree needs to be investigated. One wonders how he even became a senior advocate. He went on national television to say the $460,000 was a fine for not paying taxes.

 

“Now, Tinubu is telling the Election Petition Tribunal that the money in question was forfeited as part of a court decree in relation to his drug case. No wonder Keyamo lost so many high-profile cases with the EFCC while he was a prosecutor,” Shaibu said.

 

Atiku’s aide, however, knocked Tinubu for claiming that he was not under investigation, but only the funds in his bank accounts were under probe.

 

He asked Tinubu to explain to Nigerians how he was able to deposit millions of dollars one year after opening bank accounts while earning a salary of $2,500 at Mobil.

 

“Elections are over,  but Tinubu is still trying to deceive Nigerians. Is he saying the millions of dollars found in his account just magically appeared there just as how his aide said on live television that the bullion vans found on his premises ahead of the 2019 poll erroneously found their way there?

 

“Tinubu should stop taking Nigerians for a ride. Let him explain the business he did in order to have such a humongous sum of money in his account.”

 

Shaibu said a Tinubu presidency would represent a setback in the fight against narcotics,  given his antecedents and his open admission that he lived with known drug kingpins.

 

Shaibu implored the US authorities to set aside diplomatic protocols and furnish the Nigerian judiciary with all information relating to the trial and verdict of the US investigation of Tinubu over drug dealings and his forfeiture of the sum of 460 US dollars during his conviction.

 

“The US should not associate with electoral thieves by merely stating whether he is still under probe or not. We need in-depth details of this corn-man,” Shaibu said.

 

Meanwhile, The uncertain health status and whereabouts of Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer, now President-elect, have prompted the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s camp to ask Nigerians to pray for him.

 

Daniel Bwala, one of Atiku’s spokespersons, said Tinubu’s old photographs were posted as new ones, pointing out that the posting such pictures suggests a cover-up regarding his whereabouts and state of health.

 

He lamented that Nigerians were not asking about Tinubu’s whereabouts but were more focused on the presidential election petition.

 

Tweeted Bwala: “These unsolicited and unforced errors from Tinubu camp of releasing Tinubu’s old photos and videos suggesting recent events which have always been proved wrong suggest there may be a cover-up as to the whereabouts and state of health of Tinubu.

 

“What Tinubu needs from us as patriots are prayers and not the nonsense that the uncoordinated media minions around him continue to chunk out every now and then.

 

“Members of the opposition parties are not talking about his health or whereabouts but are focused on the election petition. But this focus-less media aides around him kept posting old photos and videos to suggest a recent event. Incompetence pro max”.

 

 

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