Bola Tinubu: 3 Biggest Controversies Around Nigeria’s President Elect

Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s president-elect, is a prominent figure in Nigerian politics who has been embroiled in several controversies throughout his career. From his political ambitions to his leadership style, Tinubu has faced criticisms.

However, these controversies have only made Tinubu a force to be reckoned.Let’s look at some of the controversies associated with the Nigerian president-elect.

Tinubu, running 10 foreign accounts

Tinubu was said to have violated the constitution by allegedly operating several foreign accounts while in office in 2007.  He was charged with running ten foreign accounts between 1999 and 2007, the time he served as governor, and the present. 

On his second appearance in 2011, the panel dismissed the case being that there was no significant basis to proceed against Tinubu as the charges against the accused person as there was no proof of evidence attached to the charges.

Also, the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois also recently released copies of investigations related to Tinubu’s alleged involvement in narcotics and money laundering about 30 years ago.

According to Festus Keyamo, the Chief Spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, said the alleged allegation already ended in a settlement  and it also led to Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in one of the accounts linked to the former governor of Lagos State. He added that Tinubu took responsibility for all the 10 accounts because they were also traced to his mother and some relatives.

Tinubu School records

Tinubu, during his first term as Governor of Lagos State, was accused of not attending the schools indicated in his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) form filled when he contested the Lagos State governorship poll. The schools mentioned are the Government College Ibadan and Chicago State University.

He was also accused of his claim in the affidavit attached to the INEC form, in which he stated that he lost his university degree certificate while he was in exile between 1994 and 1998.

Tinubu responded to the allegations by  presenting the original copy of some of his certificates having dismissed the allegations as baseless. The panel for his possible impeachments which was set up by the Lagos State House of Assembly also dismissed the allegations after investigations. 

Also, Chicago State University (CSU), also confirmed that a Bola A. Tinubu received a degree from the institution.

US money laundering

Tinubu, during his tenure as senator in July 1993, the US government filed a forfeiture lawsuit in Chicago against bank accounts in his name. He was alleged to have some involvement in getting some proceeds from heroin dealing.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other agencies that deal with trafficking networks involving Nigerian suppliers.The IRS also secured warrants in January 1992 to seize almost $2 million.

However, Tinubu settled out of court in September 1993, agreeing to give up $460,000 to the US government in exchange for the release of the rest of the money. He wasn’t indicted over the matter. 

Keyamo dismissed the $460,000 scandal linked to the president-elect, saying they were tax deductions in the US and not proceeds from drug transactions. He also said the funds deducted were from one of the ten accounts linked to Tinubu as a tax on investments domiciled in US banks by the United States authorities in the early 1990s.