Former APC Presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich, has expressed shock over a publication alleging he had engaged in certain activities including bribery, so he could be made a minister under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.


The publication by an online media had reported that a certain Mr Jackson Ude, a former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had taken to his Twitter handle to accuse Jack-Rich of allowing his wife, Elizabeth to have a sexual relationship with Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu.

Ude also alleged that the philanthropist had bribed the Chief of Staff to Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, with N500 million so he could be made a minister.

Jack-Rich who described the report as provocative, malicious, preposterous, unwarranted, distasteful, and unsubstantiated publication by politically sponsored agents, noted that the spurious allegations against his person and family were meant to malign his name and reputation with the aim of gaining cheap political relevance within the emerging political space.


A statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja by his media team noted that the allegation that Jack-Rich bribed or was planning to bribe anyone for the ministerial appointment was just another figment of the convoluted imagination of persons who see him as a major obstacle to their desperate dreams, aspirations, and political desperation for survival because they have lost their own political roots.

The statement reads partly “On behalf of the family, we wish to state unequivocally clear and with all sense of responsibility that the entirety of the allegations are not only unfounded and childish, but also depicts the nature and character of the persons and evil elements behind them; who are also well known by their political brigandage and desperation for political relevance.

“We are utterly shocked, that in their attempt to tarnish the image and reputation of Mr Jack-Rich and his family, some of these political desperados will condescend so low to the extent of making statements that not only attack his personality but also extending the same to the hallowed and revered office of the Chief of Staff to the President, thereby trying so hard to smear his own reputation and by extension, that of the Presidency.

“Let it be noted that this is not the first time the publisher of these falsehoods had tried to malign Mr Jack-Rich with similar stories, which has become his trademark.


“A similar publication was also made in 2021 by the same Jackson Ude, alleging that Jack-Rich was involved in money laundering activities for former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This is because Jackson Ude’s paymasters have seen that Jack-Rich is a political actor coming in to add value to the national good. Till today, all claims remain unsubstantiated, and Jackson Ude and his political cohorts remain faceless and untraceable.

“Again, the jobless and faceless Jackson Ude has resurfaced with a similar story and narrative, as orchestrated by his sponsors.”


The statement further noted that “As a senior stakeholder in the ruling Party, the APC where he contested for the presidential primaries and lost to our incumbent President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has worked assiduously to help his great party to win the elections, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, has all it takes to merit an appointment into any office as would be deemed fit by our dear President, and so does not need to bribe anyone in the party he jointly built with others.

“So, there was just no need for anyone to sponsor such a campaign of calumny and blackmail against him, except for extreme desperation. It is quite shameful that in their quest to derogate Jack-Rich’s personality, the sponsored publication equally made reference to his family; something so petty and quite unfounded, again.

On the allegations made against Mrs Jack-Rich, the statement emphasised that “again, none of their convoluted lies and falsehood ever happened, and will never happen.

“Dr Mrs Elizabeth Jack-Rich does not lose any sleep over this fabricated falsehood. So, it is a shame on their sponsors, whose main interest is to promote cheap political commerce to wreck families and scare upcoming political actors who mean well to the country.

“We wish to further add that we are not surprised that this is coming at this point when certain political elements who feel that without them this country will not exist, are running from pillar to post to desperately gain political mileage and attention of the Presidency for one appointment or the other.

“And in doing this, they are willing and ready to blackmail and destroy any perceived superior challenge on their path. Such people are by this medium displaying employee mentality because they are not employable.

“Their interest is to fight employers like Jack-Rich who have contributed billions of dollars value to Nigeria’s economy since his ventures into business in 1998. Nigerians should watch out for such people and their cohorts.
Let them know that this will not stop what God has already ordained to happen.”

Politics is dirty.