Following the recent receipt of a certified true copy of the order to forfeit $460,000 imposed by United States court on the account linked to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hinted that it may approach the court to determine if his participation in the 2023 poll will not violate the Constitution and Electoral Act.
The National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, Debo Ologunagba, who addressed a press conference on the issue in Abuja on Sunday, disclosed that the party is keeping its options open.
The party spokesman, who was fielding questions, on the attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to distance itself from the case that emanated from a court in Chicago, Illinois, had been asked whether it will head to court should the electoral body fail to act.
He said: “We are very hopeful. What we decide to do as a party, we don’t consult you, we don’t tell you. When we started the case against Osun, we didn’t tell you, right?
“So, we will look at the issue and take decisions and actions based on the exigencies of the times, the requirement and the need to protect our constitution and our electoral process. So, you leave that us.”
Speaking specifically on a possible court challenge, Ologunagba, stated: “Every option is on the table. And so, I will leave it like that.”
He debunked insinuation that a court in the United States is not of competent jurisdiction, explaining that countries are encouraged to domesticate international conventions which Nigeria is signatory, and such has led to local laws including the one money laundering.
“Second, trafficking in narcotic is one of such. That’s why we have the NDLEA and other agencies of government to enforce that because they have been domesticated, they are international conventions.
“Those crimes are described as international crimes to which every member state of the United Nations is a signatory and they are obligated to be like.
“And our constitution is also clear about that. It talks about court or tribunal in Nigeria and it says ‘by any court or any other court’ which by my interpretation and by extension of this constitution, is any other court that is consistent with those international conventions and international crimes.
“We will study it and any appropriate action that needs to be taken, it will be taken. Like I said to you, every option is on the table,” he declared as he read from the proceedings of the court suggesting an indictment.
Reading from a prepared text earlier, the PDP spokesman, said: “It is no longer news that the Presidential Candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed 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.
