The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied issuing a purported press release on the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged connection to issues of “criminal forfeiture of funds linked to narcotics smuggling conspiracy and money laundering” in the United States.
The press release was purportedly signed by the Commission’s National Commissioner and chairman of Voter Education Committee, Bar. Festus Okoye, and dated Friday, November 11, 2022.
It said INEC was “currently liaising with the Northern Illinois District Court in order to establish more facts about the case before taking a decision.
“We are also studying the judgment in order to determine whether offences which contradict the INEC guidelines and Electoral Act 2022 has hen committed.”
LEADERSHIP reports that in the last few days there has been a brouhaha on a certain Certified True Copy of Order of Criminal Forfeiture dated July 23, 1993, against the APC presidential candidate by a US Court.
But, while denying issuing such press release on Saturday evening in a press release titled, ‘Purported Investigation of Criminal Forfeiture
Against A Presidential Candidate’ signed by Bar. Okoye, the Commission said it was not pursuing such course action against any presidential candidate, blaming the fake news on mischief makers.
“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.”
