Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, has refuted claims that he was involved in a drug case filed against him by the United States government in 1993. Tinubu made this statement at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which is sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. He maintained that he was not a party in the said criminal case and therefore qualified to contest in the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.
The Labour Party and its candidate, Mr Peter Obi, had approached the tribunal seeking an order to nullify the election, but Tinubu and his legal team, including Shettima, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition. Tinubu argued that the allegations made against him in the petition did not disclose a reasonable cause of action cognizable under Sections 131, 134, and 137 of the National Assembly Act.
According to Tinubu’s response, “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.”
Tinubu further argued that the decision of the United States District Court in case No 93C-4483 was not rendered by a court or tribunal created pursuant to any written law in Nigeria. As such, the court lacked the jurisdiction to enforce the purported judgment of the court in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Additionally, Tinubu stated that the case of the petitioners had not disclosed any disqualifying factor as prescribed by Section 137 (1)(d) and (e) of the National Assembly Act or law of a state. Thus, he was qualified to contest the presidential election, having met all the necessary requirements as stipulated by the constitution.
Tinubu’s response to the petition by the Labour Party and its candidate, Mr Peter Obi, clearly stated that he was not involved in the US drug case and was therefore qualified to contest the presidential election. He urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition as it lacked merit and did not disclose any reasonable cause of action.