INEC Speaks On Disqualifying Tinubu Over Drug Dealing Charges

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says there’s no truth in the viral reports that it is investigating the drug-related charges against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

INEC in a statement issued on Saturday by the chairman of its information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye urged the public to disregard trending reports that the commission is investigating Tinubu.

He added that the commission is not seeking to disqualify Tinubu from the 2023 presidential race over possible violation of the 2022 Electoral Act based on the drug dealing charges.

Naija News reports the INEC reaction follows a letter that surfaced on social media on Friday bearing the electoral umpire’s letterhead and claiming Tinubu is being investigated by INEC over a 1993 case in the United States involving forfeiting some drug-related money to the US government.

The report further alleged that INEC was liaising with the US court over the matter with the intention of pursuing a prosecution.

However, Okoye in a statement on Saturday said the letter is fake, and INEC is not pursuing any such agenda.

He added that there is no attempt to disqualify Tinubu over possible violation of the Electoral Act 2022 as the purported letter is the handwork of mischief makers.

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.”