The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Bola Ahmed Tinubu ineligible to contest in the 2023 presidential election.
Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, released an official statement to this effect on Sunday.
“It is no longer news that the Presidential Candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, is irredeemably and hopelessly ineligible to contest the February 2023 presidential election, having been reportedly indicted and subjected to criminal forfeiture judgement for a narcotic-related offence by a United States court in Northern Illinois,” the PDP stated.
READ MORE: Can Tinubu’s $460,000 ‘Settlement’ in Drug Trafficking Case Disqualify Him?
“By the provision of Section 137 (1) (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Tinubu is not eligible to contest the presidential election in Nigeria.
“Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) provides that:(1) A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if: (d) He is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by ANY COURT or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal.
“Having been sentenced and fined by way of criminal forfeiture of $460,000 drug money in a criminal suit filed pursuant to the United States Criminal Code, Tinubu cannot by virtue of Section 137 (1)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) seek office as President of Nigeria.”
READ ALSO: INEC Denies Investigating Tinubu Over ‘Criminal Forfeiture’
The PDP asked INEC to carry out its duties in accordance with the constitution and the electoral act after accusing the APC of trying to pull a wool over the eyes of Nigerian democratic institutions.
However, Benard Onigah, former secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association’s National Human Rights Committee, said that INEC could not disqualify Tinubu until a Nigerian court declared the US forfeiture a criminal conviction.
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