The Independent National Electoral Commission announced on Friday that in the 2023 general election, it will shine a spotlight on politicians and political parties to identify the sources of financing for their campaigns.
According to WEEK DAYS, the commission has vowed to set up a committee to oversee election expenses ahead of the elections.
CBN, DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Commercial Banks & Other Law Enforcement Agencies Will Supervise The Process Of Declaration – INEC
The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja during a policy panel discussion conference on political donations organized by The Electoral Forum, an organ of the Action plan for Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development with support from the MacArthur Foundation, and attended by a National Commissioner, Kunle Ajayi.
” We are not uninformed of what anyone is doing, ” he stated, ” as long as we have not notified anyone that the race for the general election in 2023 has begun. ” The legislation is rigorously followed by us.
” We have not yet officially declared a notice for the 2023 general election, but once we do, we will activate our monitoring committees, which include the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Department of State Services, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, (commercial) banks, and other law enforcement agencies. ” We already have a strategy in place.
” Every candidate should be required to declare his or her financial assets. ” We’ ll require them to submit their statement of account straight away because that’ s where they get their money.
” We’ ll make it essential for them to bring in their bank statement so that if they claim to be working on billboards but the account balance remains the same, there’ ll be an issue. “
EFCC Deepens Tinubu Probe, Asks CCB To Produce Asset Declaration Form
According to WEEK DAYS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has expanded its investigation into All Progressives Congress veteran Bola Tinubu.
The EFCC has issued a letter to the Code of Conduct Bureau asking copies of Tinubu’ s asset declaration form in this regard.
According to a copy of the letter obtained by an online news outlet, The Peoples Gazette, the probe into Tinubu began last year following the dismissal of former Chairman Ibrahim Magu.
The letter, CR/3000/EFCC/LS/Vol4/322, dated November 6, 2020, was signed by Abdulrasheed Bawa, the then Lagos zonal head, who is now the EFCC Chairman.
” In light of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to provide the commission with the outstanding sought information of Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu, ” the letter said.
” Sections 38(1) and (2) of the EFCC Act 2004 apply to this request. “
Attempts to contact the EFCC’ s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, were unsuccessful since he did not answer the phone.
However, a top EFCC officer confirmed the letter’ s legitimacy and said it was part of a larger investigation.
The person, who did not want to be identified, said the investigation was prompted by petitions filed against Tinubu since 2018, which Magu has failed to act on.
” The letter is genuine, ” the person claimed. Several petitions against Tinubu have been filed with the EFCC, including one alleging fraud in Alpha Beta Consulting. “
Mr. Dapo Apara, a former Managing Director of Alpha Beta Consulting, had written to the EFCC, accusing the firm of tax evasion and claiming that it was operated by Tinubu, although via proxy.
Apara asked the respondents to appear within 42 days or judgment would be rendered in their absence in the writ of summons marked LD/7330GCMW/2020.
Tinubu was also the subject of a lawsuit filed by Apara. He claimed in his statement of claim that Tinubu owned the corporation that received 10% of the taxes collected on behalf of the state.
As the company’ s CEO, he began looking into its finances and found a number of alarming discoveries, including inexplicable transfers of almost N20 billion to various firms, according to the former MD.
” N550 million payment to Ocean Trust Ltd pursuant to payment instruction on the 15th of May 2018 N850 million payment to Ocean Trust Ltd pursuant to payment instruction dated the 14th of March 2015, ” he said.
According to the claimant, N960 million was spent for HITV’ s 300, 000, 000 shares.
According to Apara, Tinubu was enraged that he was investigating the company’ s finances, which resulted in his demotion and subsequent departure.
However, Apara’ s tax consultant firm, Alpha Beta LLP, refuted the charges, saying he diverted roughly $5 million during his stint as managing director by exaggerating a contract for about $300, 000 and subsequently diverted a separate N6 billion to personal use.
The company stated that it had reported Apara’ s alleged fraud to the proper authorities, but that he had refused to appear and had instead remained in Dubai.
Apara’ s charges against Tinubu, according to the business, were ” speculative” and ” distracting. “
Will Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ever Give In For Asset Declaration?
Tinubu is believed to own hotel vessels purchased in the United Kingdom, as well as palatial residences in VI and across Lagos and Abuja, elegant hotels in Victoria Island, the Nations Newspaper and airline, and Oando, which his brother owns.
Tinubu isn’ t known to have disclosed his assets at any point in his life. How can he show that he amassed such fortune on a governor’ s salary of less than N4 million per year?
There’ s also nothing in his biography below that explains how he came to be so wealthy.
Former Lagos State Governor (1999- 2007) Date of Birth: March 29, 1952. Lagos is where he was born.
St John’ s Primary School in Lagos; Children’ s Home School in Ibadan; Richard Daley College in Chicago, Illinois; Chicago State University in Illinois, 1977- 79.
Career: Deloitte Haskins and Sells Auditing and Management Consultant; Senior Auditor, Mobil Producing Nigeria; Treasurer, Mobil Producing Nigeria; Senator, Lagos West, 1992; Governor, Lagos State, 1999- 2007
Commentary: Tinubu remains a powerful figure in the Action Congress Party, both politically and financially. He hopes to create a voting bloc in the southwest to help him achieve his vice- presidential goals in 2011. His commercial connections include Lebanese multimillionaires Gilbert and George Chagoury, who have collaborated with the majority of Nigeria’ s political and military elite, including former Police Inspector General Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu and Sani Abacha.
