Criminal forfeiture of $460,000 drug money to US disqualifies Tinubu from holding public office – PDP

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja

 

 

The People’s Democratic party has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC of scheming to create tension, induce violence, frustrate the conduct of the 2023 general elections and derail the democratic process, having realized that it does not have an eligible Presidential Candidate for the polls.

 

The Party also said criminal forfeiture of $460,000 drug money traced to the APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu to the United States has disqualified him from holding any public office.

 

The PDP also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC not to succumb to the blackmail of the APC but to be focused and carry out its duties by the Constitution and the Electoral Act so as the engender confidence in the citizens concerning the integrity of those seeking public office in our country.

 

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, while addressing the media, Sunday said, “Despite the unrelenting attacks by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as witnessed in our Presidential Campaign rallies in Kaduna and Borno States, our Party has remained undeterred in the bid to rescue our nation from the suffocating misrule of the APC.

 

“However, as we prepare for the 2023 general elections, the APC is busy scheming to create tension, induce violence, frustrate the conduct of the 2023 general elections and derail our democratic process, having realized that it does not have an eligible Presidential Candidate for the polls.

 

“It is no longer news that the Presidential Candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is irredeemably and hopelessly ineligible to contest the February 2023 Presidential election having been reportedly indicted and subjected to criminal forfeiture judgment for a narcotic-related offence by a United States Court in Northern Illinois.

 

“Nigerians are however appalled by the lame attempt by the APC Presidential Campaign which, after admitting that there was a $460,000 drug money criminal forfeiture judgment against accounts traced to the APC Presidential Candidate, is now desperately trying to pull a wool over the eyes of the Nigerians people and our democratic institutions.

 

“Seeing that it is technically out of the Presidential contest and further distraught because it cannot also field candidates at all levels in the 2023 general elections due to its illegal and unconstitutional congresses, the APC has resorted to unleashing hoodlums to attack PDP Presidential Campaign rallies and other innocent Nigerians going about their legitimate endeavors as witnessed in Kaduna and the Borno States, in a bid to trigger a crisis and scuttle the elections.

 

“There are already apprehensions in the public space of unrefuted allegations that the APC is behind the orchestrated attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in Ogun and Osun States.

 

“The APC plans to instill fear in the citizenry, disorganize and weaken other political parties, frighten, hamstring and immobilize INEC from conducting the 2023 general elections.

 

“The APC must note that its schemes, denials, threats, and resort to violence cannot help Asiwaju Tinubu. By the provision of Section 137 (1) (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) Asiwaju Tinubu is not eligible to contest the Presidential election in Nigeria.

 

“Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that:(1) A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if:

(d) He is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by ANY COURT or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal.

 

“For clarity, forfeiture means “something to which the right is lost as for commission of a crime or misdeed, neglect of duty, or violation of a contract”

 

“It is instructive to note that trafficking in narcotics is an international crime to which all nations are obliged and mandated to apprehend, prosecute and enforce any judgment or Court Order imposed on the offender. Nigeria is a signatory to the international convention on trafficking in narcotics and is obliged to enforce any Order or judgment imposed on any offender by a competent court ANYWHERE in the world.

 

“For emphasis, the US Court “Ordered that the funds for $460,000 in account 263226700 held by First Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu represent proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. S1956 and 1957 and therefore these funds are forfeited to the United States under 21 U.S.C. S881(a)(6) and 18 U.S.C S981”.

 

“Having been sentenced and fined by way of criminal forfeiture of $460,000 drug money in a criminal suit filed under the United States Criminal Code, Asiwaju Tinubu cannot by Section 137 (1)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) seek office as President of Nigeria.

 

“Nigerians now know that the APC Presidential Campaign announcement that its Presidential Candidate will not participate in media debates is to prevent Nigerians from seeking answers from Asiwaju Tinubu concerning the criminal forfeiture judgment as well as other burning issues to which Nigerians are entitled to know.

 

“Of course, our nation cannot afford the embarrassment, shame, national indignity, and stigma associated with narcotics all over the world, especially in the exalted office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

“Nigeria cannot handle the massive negative collateral damage such will have on our national image, the economy as well as on the businesses and legitimate endeavors of hardworking Nigerians.

 

“What Nigerians expect of Asiwaju Tinubu at this moment is to withdraw from the Presidential race and apologize to the nation. The APC must come to terms that it is not in the Presidential race and that it has no legitimate candidate at all levels in the 2023 general elections as pronounced by the Federal High Court.

 

“The PDP, therefore, reminds Nigerians that any vote for the APC at the Presidential, Governorship, National and State Assembly elections are wasted votes that will not count at the end of the day.

 

“The PDP calls on INEC not to succumb to the blackmail of the APC but to be focused and carry out its duties by the Constitution and the Electoral Act so as the engender confidence in the citizens concerning the integrity of those seeking public office in our country.

 

“Our Party appreciates the solidarity and support being shown by Nigerians across the board to our Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and other candidates of the PDP in the mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the misrule of the APC.”

 

HOWEVER, The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has tasked the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to come out boldly and defend his reported link to the whopping sum of $460,000 he forfeited to the United States rather than hiding behind a finger and sending his media aides to attack other Nigerians.

 

Spokesperson, Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement, said, “Our campaign insists that the burden before Asiwaju Tinubu is to cleanse himself of being linked to illicit funds by a court in the United States rather than searching for scapegoats and pointing index finger on others whereas the remaining are pointing to his direction.

 

“Is it not absurd that rather than proving his innocence by personally telling Nigerians the truth about the forfeiture judgment, Asiwaju Tinubu is allowing his aides, who were not principal witnesses in the crime, to issue threats and vituperations on Nigerians?

 

“This accounts for why the campaign is singing discordant tunes on taxation while Asiwaju Tinubu himself is labouring to dismiss the case as “a rumour.” This is very laughable!

 

“Our campaign wants Asiwaju Tinubu to know that Nigerians are still waiting for him to address the very serious issue of alleged link with narcotics for which a forfeiture judgment was imposed on him.”

 

Also, The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has appealed to the electorates that the ultimate goal of the upcoming election is to recover Nigeria from the suffocating grip of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

 

In a personal letter authored by the former vice president, he said,

“For more than seven years, the APC has knelt on our necks and that is why I am in this election: to RECOVER NIGERIA and restore the country.

 

“Look at it this way, dear friend, would the APC recover Nigeria from itself?

 

“It’s a sure NO! Voting for the APC in the next election is a vote for a continuation of the current privation.

 

“And that’s why I would like that you join hands with me to make sure that Nigeria wins in the election next February.

 

“When we defeat the APC and Nigeria win, the victory is all ours.

 

“When we work together to recover Nigeria, then, we would make a bold statement that POWER truly belongs to the PEOPLE!”

 

For a better society

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