THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied investigating drug trafficking allegations against All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu.
A viral document bearing the signature of INEC spokesperson Festus Okoye had claimed on Saturday that the Commission was investigating a criminal case against Tinubu.
However, INEC in a statement sighted by The ICIR on Saturday evening, denied the content of the document, describing it as fake.
READ ALSO:
Ogun PDP asks INEC to reprint burnt PVCs with immediate effect
65,699 PVCs destroyed as hoodlums attack INEC offices in Ogun, Osun
INEC to sanction 23 officials for illegal voters registration
Hoodlums set INEC office ablaze in Ogun
“A Press Release purported to have been issued by the Commission has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022,” the statement reads.
“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.”
The internet was agog earlier this week after court documents showing how the former Lagos governor forfeited $460,000 to the United States (US) over allegations of drug trafficking.
The court documents, which were said to have been released by a Chicago court, also accused Tinubu of money laundering and tax evasion in 1993.
APC presidential council spokesperson Festus Keyamo had dismissed Tinubu’s links to drug trafficking.
Contrary to the court documents, Keyamo said that the money forfeited was tax deductions and not proceeds of drug trafficking.
You can reach out to me on Twitter via: vincent_ufuoma