A civil rights organization under the aegis of Center for Reform and Public Advocacy, has written the Inspector-General of Police over the certificate controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress’ presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
The CRPA in its petition issued a 48- hour ultimatum to the IGP to arrest and initiate criminal prosecution against Tinubu for supplying false academic qualifications to secure his nomination form.
According to the organisation, failure on the part of the police to act on its petition will lead to the institution of a court action against the IGP for an order of mandamus to compel him to effect the arrest of Tinubu at the end of the ultimatum.
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The Legal Adviser of the CRPA and human rights lawyer, Agu Kalu, issued the threat in a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, alleged that the former Lagos State governor was not legally qualified to become the next President of Nigeria in 2023 on grounds of supplying false information on oath in his form EC 9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Amongst others, the legal practitioner alleged that in 1999, Bola Tinubu claimed to have attended Saint Paul Aroloya Children Home School, Ibadan between 1958 and 1964 and Government College, Ibadan between 1965 and 1969, only to turn around in 2022 that he never attended any primary or secondary school in his EC9 form.
He said, “We wrote a petition to the IG on June 16, demanding the prosecution of Tinubu for providing false information on oath in his INEC form CF 001 which he submitted in 1999.
“Since the IG is yet to act on the petition, we are using this press conference to call on the IG to do the needful, he is not above the law, nobody is above the law, Sections 191 and 192 makes it a criminal offence to provide false information on oath.
“We are also calling on President Buhari to direct the IG to arrest and prosecute Tinubu for perjury, it is a very serious issue.”
He added that in the event Buhari and IG failed to do the needful, the group in conjunction with other civil groups will approach a court of law for judicial review and order of mandamus to order the IG to do the needful.
However, the Director (Legal Directorate), Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), said the organization was ready to defend the allegations and threats against its principal.
He clarified that the APC presidential candidate has complied fully with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He said, “There is nothing to respond to them, the Electoral Act is clear. We are waiting, let them go, let them bring the writ, we will defend it. I think we have gone past this stage of some people on social media, for whatever reason in the media, issuing threats.
“If they have anything, let them bring it. As far as we are concerned, our candidate has complied fully with the provisions of the Electoral Act. If they want to go to court, let them go to court. But we must also let them know that we are not unconscious of the laws of defamation in the country. We know the difference between a court process that is privileged and making unfounded allegations in the Newspapers like they are doing now.
“But honestly, our candidate is not perturbed, he can’t be bothered by all these threats. If they want to go to court, let them go to court. When they come, we will react appropriately to the court process. What we know, we have complied fully with the provisions of the law and we will not be blackmailed and intimidated.”
Tinubu had in an affidavit to the Independent National Electoral Commission claimed that his documents were stolen by unknown persons when he “went on self exile from October 1994 to October 1999 (and) when I returned and discovered that my property including all the documents relating to my qualification and my certificates in respect of paragraph 3 above were looted by unknown persons.”
Tinubu, who skipped information regarding his primary and secondary education in form, however, said he attended University of Chicago between 1972 and 1976, where he obtained B.Sc in Economics.
He also said he had B.Sc in Business and Administration, as well as certificate in Public Account.
