4,000 Nigerians Sign Petition Against Bola Tinubu

No fewer than four thousand Nigerians have signed a petition on Change.org, asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for alleged money laundering.

The petition, which was filed about nine hours ago (on August 20, 2020), has received 4,002 signatures as of the time of filing this report.

The petition was filed by a former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri.

Omokri is seeking to gather 5,000 signatures to compel the anti-graft agency to investigate Tinubu, who is the acclaimed national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for alleged money laundering.

According to the former presidential aide, Tinubu contravened the Money Laundering Act of Nigeria, “by ferrying bullion vans into his house” on the eve of the 2019 presidential election which saw President Muhammadu Buhari emerge winner.

Omokri wrote on Change.org, “Calling for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Bola Tinubu for contravening the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011, by having bullion vans ferry alleged large sums of money into his house on the eve of the 2019 Presidential election.

“Dear citizens of Nigeria, Let’s take our country back by signing this petition to compel the EFCC to investigate and prosecute Bola Tinubu for contravening the Money Laundering Act, by ferrying bullion vans into his house. Don’t say ‘na today’, or ‘leave matter’. We as Nigerians must stop confusing cynicism for wisdom. If we do not fight for our country, who will? George Floyd’s death sparked a revolution in America and we joined. We did not say ‘na today’, or ‘leave matter’. You and I can make a difference with this petition.”

Tinubu had in 2019 said it was nobody’s business if the bullion vans sighted entering his residence were laden with cash.

His words: “Excuse me, is it my money or government money? I don’t work for the government. I am not in an agency of government and let anyone come out to say I have collected contract from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari or the APC in the last five years. They should prove it.

“I am on my own and I am committed to my party. So, even if I have money to spend on my premises, what is your headache? If I don’t represent any agency of government and I have money to spend, if I like, I give it to the people free of charge as long as it is not to buy votes.

Meanwhile, Omokri’s petition is coming about a month after a pro-democracy group, Coalition Against Corruption and Impunity, furnished the EFCC with alleged details of corrupt activities of Tinubu and a former Lagos State governor, Banatunde Raji Fashola.

The group had copied the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in the petition signed by its coordinator and secretary, John Olufemi and Mohammed Sanni.

The group levelled allegations of “syndicated fraud and sharp practices, corruption, huge land scams running into billions, criminal diversion of funds, betrayal of trust and oath of office, economic strangulation laden with corruption, financial recklessness, mismanagement, embezzlement, misapplication of funds gross constitutional violations and abuse of office” against Tinubu and Fashola.