Foreign accounts: Tinubu’s trial begins


* Olanipekun, Osinbajo, five others to defend him * Police stop ACN supporters from storming Abuja for solidarity

The much-awaited trial of the former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal kicks off today. Tinubu will appear before the Tribunal in Abuja to face trial over his alleged failure to fully declare his assets and operation of foreign accounts while in office between 1999 and 2007.

“I will appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday (today) because I am a law-abiding citizen. I will definitely proof my innocence,” Tinubu told National Mirror last night. He was accused by the Federal Government of maintaining 10 foreign accounts while in office contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution.

“As a leading opposition voice, I have been a consistent advocate of the rule of law and I’m eagerly anxious for government to prove its case beyond reasonable doubts. Those who allege must prove,” Tinubu said. Impeccable source told National Mirror that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) will lead six other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) hired to be part of the Tinubu’s defence team today. The source said that Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana are part of the defence team.

The alleged non-disclosure of full assets and operation of foreign accounts by Tinubu was an action said to be contrary to Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 56 LFN, 1990 and punishable under Section 23(2) thereof as incorporated under paragraph 18, part I, Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A formal charge to the effect was filed against Tinubu in 2007 before the same tribunal but it was later suspended for a number of reasons. The ingredients of the offence has since been subjected to rigorous investigations offshore since the accounts allegedly maintained by Tinubu illegally were all domiciled in both the UK and the USA.

Although the threemember panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting in Abuja is scheduled to take Tinubu’s plea to the charge, this morning, indications however emerged yesterday that the arraignment might be preceded by legal fireworks on the validity of the charge preferred against the former governor. The quasi-criminal information already filed against him was signed by one Mr. Ahmed Kyari in the Chambers of the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF).

Although impeccable source said that the charge might be amended in order to block all loopholes and secure his conviction, neither parties to the suit filed no process at the tribunal registry as at the time of filing this report. Tinubu has also voiced out that the Federal Government is in desperate moves to manufacture evidence against him, saying “he is not perturbed, rather he is assured that the judiciary is up to the task and will in this matter dispense justice without fear or favor.”

“Presently, desperate moves are afoot by the office of the AGF to find by all means and to manufacture enough evidence to prove their case against Nigeria’s leading opposition voice, Asiwaju Tinubu, the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The resort to these subterranean moves is caused by their failure to get credible individuals to come forward as witnesses to prove their allegations,” a statement by the Tinubu Media Office made available to National Mirror yesterday alleged.

Tinubu added that: “Another dimension of the desperate moves of these individuals include the recent media leaks from the office of the AGF that the charges against Asiwaju Tinubu would be amended to include perjury so as to strengthen their so-called “iron clad case” against the national leader of Nigeria’s leading opposition party, ACN. “It is deceitful and clear subterfuge for government to continue to mouth the rule of law, while hounding political opponents and applying different standard of justice to members of the opposition while shielding its members from prosecution. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s democracy remains imperiled under the clutches of a ruling party that no longer wants to rule for 60 years but forever.”

National Mirror reliably learnt that no fewer than 300 party elders and leaders from South-West arrived Abuja, the nation’s capital, between yesterday and this morning in solidarity with Tinubu. In a related development, 28 buses conveying members of the ACN to Abuja were allegedly stopped by police at Kotonkafe Bridge, Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, last night. National Mirror reliably learnt that the luxury buses conveying Tinubu’s supporters were prevented from continued with the journey as at the time of filing the report last night.

Speaking on the stoppage, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed condemned in the strongest terms the harassment of its members by the police. The party spokesman expressed shock at such a blatant misuse of state power against the opposition, calling it the beginning of a dangerous slide towards crass dictatorship. It wondered why the police, apparently acting on orders, would deprive Nigerians of their constitutionally- guaranteed rights to move freely and express their opinions within their country more so when they are not carrying arms or causing public disorder.

ACN said stopping the vehicles conveying the party members and confiscating the keys to the vehicles, just to ground them, is nothing but sheer government tyranny against its own people. “This is a new low for those who are hell-bent on abridging personal freedoms and muffling the voice of the opposition. The decision to virtually arrest all our members heading to Abuja to show solidarity with their party leader is a big blow to the rule of law and negates the tenets of constitutional democracy. It confirms the general belief that, indeed, the charges against Asiwaju were politically motivated,” ACN said in a statement issued last night.

finally!!!!

hope this is a fair trial and should be locked up if found guilty