The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied reports making rounds, suggesting that the Commission has commenced probe of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu over alleged criminal forfeiture.
In a statement, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye Esq, said that the press release upon which the report emanated was fake.
According to Okoye, “We wish to state categorically that the said Press Release did not emanate from the Commission nor is it pursuing the purported course of action. It is the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake.”
The full text of Okoye’s statement reads:
PURPORTED INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL FORFEITURE AGAINST A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
A Press Release purported to have been issued by the Commission has been trending online since yesterday Friday 11th November 2022. It claims that the Commission has commenced investigation into a case of criminal forfeiture against one of the Presidential candidates in the forthcoming General Election and is liaising with a Court in the United States of America in pursuit of same to determine possible violation of our guidelines or the Electoral Act 2022.
We wish to state categorically that the said Press Release did not emanate from the Commission nor is it pursuing the purported course of action. It is the handiwork of mischief makers and utterly fake.
Press Releases from the Commission are uploaded to the INEC Press Corps platform and simultaneously disseminated through our website and official social media handles.
The public is advised to ignore the Press Release.
Festus Okoye Esq
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee
Saturday 12th November 2022.