Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, has denied being a party to a drug case filed against him by the United States Government in 1993. Tinubu made this statement in response to a petition by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Mr Peter Obi, seeking an order to nullify the February 25 presidential election, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of.
In his response to the petition, Tinubu stated that he was not a party in the criminal case and was therefore qualified to contest the presidential election. He urged the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja to dismiss the petition by Obi and the LP.
Tinubu’s reply read, “The pleadings in paragraphs 28-31 of the petition hinge the alleged disqualification of the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) on a decision of the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division in case No 93C-4483 delivered on October 4, 1993. The 2nd respondent herein named was not a party or defendant in the said case No 93C-4483.”
He further added, “The pleadings in paragraphs 28 –31 of the petition do not disclose a reasonable cause of action cognizable under Sections 131, 134 and 137 legislation or instrument under the provisions of a law in Nigeria. The decision of the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division in case No 93C-4483 delivered on October 4, 1993 is/was not in respect of any cause of action or offence created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The case of the petitioners as pleaded has not disclosed any disqualifying factor as prescribed by Section 137 (1)(d) and (e) of the Act of the National Assembly or law of a State.”
Tinubu’s response was also supported by Governor Kashim Shettima, who urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition by Obi and the LP. The tribunal is yet to make a ruling on the matter.
