If I, Reno Omokri, an opposition critic of the Buhari administration was found to have received bullion vans full of cash 48 hours to an election, I would have been arrested before evening on the same day. Is the Nigerian law a respecter of persons? Is Tinubu above the law? Just imagine if someone linked to the PDP or Atiku had bullion vans going into their house 48 hours to elections
Admin l Tuesday, March 12, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – Reno Omokri, aide to former president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for its silence over the appearance of two bullion vans at the Bourdillon residence of the national leader of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu less than 48 hours to the presidential and national assembly election.
According to him, what Tinubu did was not only wrong but that having bullion vans bring cash to his house 48 hours to an election is prima facie evidence of influencing voters using money, adding that If President Buhari really has integrity as he would want Nigerians to believe, the EFCC would have picked up Tinubu by now.
Omokri noted that Tinubu even boasted on live television that the bullion vans carried money and that it is nobody’s business.
“That is not true. It is the business of the EFCC by virtue of the Money Laundering Act of 2011. If the EFCC is not aware of that act, let me remind them. The Money Laundering Act of 2011 makes it illegal for any individual to make cash payments exceeding Five Million Naira. And provides that every cash transaction over ₦5,000,000 must be done via a financial institution. Tinubu obviously flouted this law”, he said,
He explained that by virtue of the Money Laundering Act of 2011, any person found guilty of making or accepting any cash payment above ₦5,000,000 is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than 3 years or a fine of ₦10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) or both.
He wondered if President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC would have maintained this silence if the bullion van was moved by him, a critic of the administration, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku or any other member of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). But that instead of addressing this anomally, Buhari has been celebrating Tinubu since he won.
“If I, Reno Omokri, an opposition critic of the Buhari administration was found to have received bullion vans full of cash 48 hours to an election, I would have been arrested before evening on the same day. Is the Nigerian law a respecter of persons? Is Tinubu above the law? Just imagine if someone linked to the PDP or Atiku had bullion vans going into their house 48 hours to elections.
“Would the EFCC have been this quiet? Would Buhari have sat idly by as he is doing for Tinubu? President Buhari has been celebrating with Tinubu ever since he ‘won’ the election. Is he not aware of #TinubusBullionVans? Does it mean that it is only members of the opposition PDP that are eligible for EFCC’s prosecution? ”, he said.
See his full statement below:
What Bola Tinubu did was wrong. Having bullion vans bring cash to your house 48 hours to an election is prima facie evidence of influence voters using money. If President Buhari really had integrity, the EFCC would have picked up Tinubu by now.
Tinubu even boasted on live television that the bullion vans carried money and that it is nobody’s business. That is not true. It is the business of the EFCC by virtue of the Money Laundering Act of 2011. If the EFCC is not aware of that act, let me remind them. The Money Laundering Act of 2011 makes it illegal for any individual to make cash payments exceeding Five Million Naira. And provides that every cash transaction over ₦5,000,000 must be done via a financial institution. Tinubu obviously flouted this law.
By virtue of the Money Laundering Act of 2011, any person found guilty of making or accepting any cash payment above ₦5,000,000 is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than 3 years or a fine of ₦10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) or both.
If I, Reno Omokri, an opposition critic of the Buhari administration was found to have received bullion vans full of cash 48 hours to an election, I would have been arrested before evening on the same day. Is the Nigerian law a respecter of persons? Is Tinubu above the law? Just imagine if someone linked to the PDP or Atiku had bullion vans going into their house 48 hours to elections. Would the EFCC have been this quiet? Would Buhari have sat idly by as he is doing for Tinubu? President Buhari has been celebrating with Tinubu ever since he ‘won’ the election. Is he not aware of #TinubusBullionVans? Does it mean that it is only members of the opposition PDP that are eligible for EFCC’s prosecution?
