The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, have come under fire from Phrank Shaibu, Atiku Abubakar’s special assistant on public communication, for attempting to portray the $460,000 forfeiture case as one involving tax evasion rather than narcotics allegations.
In a statement to Newsmen, Shaibu claimed that the procedures the APC had filed at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had finally revealed the truth following the fabrications made by Tinubu and his proxies.
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 claimed that one of Keyamo’s shortcomings as an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor was his lack of grasp of the legal process.
“Festus Keyamo’s law degree really 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.
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“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 assistant, however, criticized Tinubu for asserting that just the money in his bank accounts was under investigation and that he was not.
He urged Tinubu to explain to Nigerians how, a year after opening bank accounts and while making $2,500 per month at Mobil, he was able to deposit millions of dollars.
He said: “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 van 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.”
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Given his past and his outright admission that he lived with known drug lords, Tinubu would, according to Shaibu, be a setback in the war on drugs.
He pleaded with the US government to disregard diplomatic protocol and provide the Nigerian judiciary with all information pertaining to the trial and decision of the US investigation of Tinubu over drug transactions and his loss of the sum of $460,000 US 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.
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