Arrest and Prosecute Tinubu Now, PDP Demands

By Segun James

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to immediately arrest and prosecute Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the disclosure by the CCB lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, that he was erroneously discharged by the CCT in the trial for holding 10 foreign accounts contrary to section 7 of the CCB & Tribunal Act, Cap 15 LFN, 2004 as amended.

In a statement by the Lagos state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, the PDP charged that the “learned SAN made the disclosure in his opposition to the application by Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, that he be discharged.”

“We demand the immediate invitation, arrest and prosecution of Tinubu for violating the laws of the land and breaching public trust by operating several foreign accounts during his tenure as lagos state governor between 1999 and 2007.

“During this period, the state did not witness meaningful developments commensurate to its internally generated revenues and federal government allocations. We strongly believe that those foreign accounts were used to steal Lagos funds.

“It still amazes us how a Tinubu, well known before he became lagos state governor, is now the undoubtedly wealthiest and ‘influential’ personality out of politics in the country. The code of conduct tribunal erroneously discharged but that does not remove the fact that the offence was committed.

“Now that the facts of Tinubu’s erroneous discharge are in the public glare and in the spirit of the hyped anti corruption crusade, president Buhari ought to take a stance and speak out on the proprietary of Tinubu walking free while Saraki, Dasuki, Kanu, are being prosecuted with vigour.

“Alas! Rather, the president and other APC leaders chose to adopt and celebrate a betrayer of public service. The President particularly recently directed the grounding of the Capital city to celebrate Tinubu’s birthday. An unequivocal declaration of loyalty to Tinubu who no doubt bankrolled the president’s election. No doubt that president Buhari is only mouthing anti corruption and cannot summon the gut to prosecute APC leaders.”

The PDP said that Lawyer to Saraki, Kanu Agabi (SAN) applied for Saraki’s discharge on the basis that he was also not invited before he was charged by the CCB, which is similar to Tinubu’s fact of case. They wondered why Tinubu was discharged whereas Saraki continues to be prosecuted even when the surrounding facts are similar.

“The erroneous discharge of Tinubu must be appealed against. Alternatively, Tinubu should be invited, interrogated and prosecuted. He was discharged and not acquitted and there is no time limitation for criminal trial.The PDP cried if Mr. Jacobs the lawyer of the bureau can “described Tinubu’s discharge as wrong and that the tribunal was misled into discharging the former governor,” the former governor should be arrested and prosecuted immediately.”