Politics

10 Accounts Linked To Tinubu In US, $460,000 Deducted As Tax – Keyamo

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2022

Although 10 accounts were linked to All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, by United States authorities in the early 90s, $460,000 were deducted from one of the accounts as tax on investments domiciled in US banks.

This was the submission of the Chief Spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.

He was commenting on the controversy surrounding a document recently released by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois said to have investigated Tinubu’s alleged involvement in narcotics and money laundering about 30 years ago.

The matter, which ended in a settlement, led to Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in one of the accounts linked to the former governor of Lagos State.

Keyamo said Tinubu took responsibility for all the 10 accounts because they were also traced to his mother and “relatives”.

He also said Tinubu was roped in the drug trafficking case of two Nigerians who once stayed in separate flats in the same building where the ex-governor stayed at a time in the US.

“He, Asiwaju, went to open an account, the address by which he opened the account was already used by these people…investigated for narcotics,” he said.

‘Not A Deliberate Act’
Keyamo further stated that Tinubu was an employee of Mobil Oil and not a treasurer of a drug cartel.

He explained that Tinubu deposited some funds in bank accounts in the US as investments and got returns on those investments.

The spokesman said the banks were supposed to deduct taxes from the investments but they did not and this was not a “deliberate act” on the part of Tinubu.

“The deposits he made there (in banks) are what bankers called investments; he kept the money there and he was getting interests. They (US government) said he had not paid tax on those interests. That is all and guess what? The banks are supposed to deduct the tax from source.

“Out of the 10 accounts, it was only one account – the one in Heritage Bank – that they took $460,000 as tax on interest that he benefited on the investment he made in those accounts.

“In fact, all the money in Heritage Bank was not taken; they took only $460,000 as tax,” said Keyamo, who is also the Minister of State, Labour and Employment.

‘PDP Went To The US To Dust Old Document’
Keyamo insisted that there was no criminal indictment or conviction against Tinubu, alleging that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was behind the reincarnation of the controversial court document.

“His (Tinubu’s) detractors kept bringing up these issues over and over when his political profile is rising, when he wants to run for office or any political turn in his life, they will bring up these issues,” Keyamo said.

“The date on the papers flying up and down, the date of certification is 2022, so they are using this to confuse people that these are fresh papers. If documents are 40 years old or 100 years old, once you go to court, and apply for certified true copies of those documents, they will give you those documents but they will stamp the day they are giving you those documents.

“This is what our detractors, the PDP, perhaps that is what they went to the US for when they pretended that they went for high-level engagement. This is part of the high-level engagement they went for.”

Tinubu, 70, is in the 2023 contest for Aso Rock’s top job alongside top contenders like PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party in the contest many analysts have described as a three-horse race.
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Politics

Rhodes-Vivour Dumps Labour Party, Joins ADC

Published

2 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The former Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 election in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has formally declared for the African Democratic Congress.

Rhodes-Vivour made the announcement at an event held in Lagos on Saturday.

The development came on the heels of a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC platform seeking to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.

The party officially formed the coalition in July, courting prominent figures in a bid to build a formidable third force ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the declaration, Rhodes-Vivour described the move as part of a broader coalition.

He said, “I am happy to become part of this family. I’m looking forward to the union and governance that this party will bring to Nigerians. My prayer is that God will grant our leaders and the party’s structure the wisdom to come together and define a new path for our beloved country.”

The politician also called for unity among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This is a coalition that is meant to rescue Nigeria. I have said since after the 2023 elections that we cannot afford to divide the opposition going into the next election. We must come together, united through a robust coalition that will stand a chance in 2027 to deliver this country,” he added.

Rhodes-Vivour had accused the police on Friday of attempting to frustrate the event, which was scheduled to take place in the Alimosho area of the state.

In a statement issued by his aide, Olalekan Anjolaiya, the organisers were said to have duly notified the police about the event.

It was, however, gathered that security operatives barred Rhodes-Vivour and his supporters from gaining access to the venue on Saturday morning, before it was later moved to another location within the local government area.

Reacting to the incident, he said, “I’m going to address the press later on the events that happened today and those that happened since yesterday. But with this speech, I just want to confirm that I am joining the ADC coalition.”

The Chairman of the ADC in the state, George Ashiru, said the move signalled the strengthening of an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He also described Rhodes-Vivour’s defection as a historic affirmation of a coalition that had been in the works since the last election.

He said, “Today we are having one of the most important affirmation programmes where our coalition partners from one of the key blocs in the Labour Party are joining this wonderful family of Nigerians, the African Democratic Congress.

“We are not affirming one man, we are affirming a movement, but every movement has a leader, and what brother Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour represents is the leadership of a movement that shook Lagos in the last election.”

According to him, the coalition was built on a foundation of communication that began during the 2023 polls and had now matured into a common platform to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Also speaking at the event, a representative of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Professor Ola Olateju, urged party members to believe in their capacity to provide an alternative for Nigerians.

He said, “We should not look at ourselves as if we are not able or not competent to rescue Nigeria. Anybody here could become anything. There is equal opportunity for everybody irrespective of ethnic group, agenda or class. ADC is not just a political party; it’s a movement, a movement of the people. It is an exodus. We are moving in order to rescue Nigeria.”

Politics

NNPP Expels Reps Member, Drags Him To Court

Published

3 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has expelled Abdulmumin Jibrin, member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, over alleged insubordination and failure to remit statutory party dues.

Announcing the decision at a press conference on Saturday, NNPP state chairman, Hon. Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, said the move was necessary to uphold party discipline and supremacy.

Dungurawa accused Jibrin, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, of demarketing the party’s national leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, while allegedly aligning with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC.

He said Jibrin’s repeated media appearances, including a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, discredited the party’s principles and projected views that did not represent NNPP’s official position.

“If he was truly strong politically, he would have won his election under the APC in 2019, but he failed. It was Kwankwasiyya and NNPP that gave him victory in 2023. Now he is deceiving himself, thinking he is strong,” Dungurawa said.

Jibrin, who has met President Tinubu twice at the Presidential Villa in recent weeks, has publicly hinted at a possible defection, saying he remains open to joining any party, including APC, PDP, ADC, or PRP.

Dungurawa disclosed that a reconciliation committee was initially set up to engage Jibrin after his first interview, but the lawmaker “crossed the line” by granting a subsequent interview to DCL Hausa, where he openly discussed his next political moves.

“Instead of dialogue, he went further to work against our interest and openly declared loyalty outside the party. That is why we expelled him. He has no value to add to NNPP,” Dungurawa said, adding that the party will drag Jibrin to court to recover unpaid dues.

On speculation that Jibrin may return to the APC, Dungurawa said such a move would not affect the NNPP’s strength.

“Politics is about groups and coalitions. Kwankwasiyya remains solidly behind our leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he stressed.

Politics

Why We Are Yet To Recognise ADC Leadership – INEC

Published

3 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
is yet to comply with the extant rules required for the formal recognition of Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as its National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The lack of compliance, INEC stated, renders all official documents and communications bearing their signatures null and void until the process is completed.

Speaking with newsmen, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, through his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said:

“Ask ADC if they have truly complied with all the requirements. They visited the Commission recently, and we told them what the problem was. They are aware. Please get in touch with Bolaji Abdullahi, their spokesperson, who was part of the delegation. He ought to have briefed journalists about their visit and what transpired.”

On the implications for ADC candidates in upcoming elections, Oyekanmi said:
“I believe the party will comply with extant rules. Once they do, they won’t have any problem.”

Although INEC did not specify the outstanding requirements, it was gathered that ADC is expected to submit sample signatures of the National Chairman and National Secretary, along with other documentation in line with its constitution.

INEC regulations require political parties to submit detailed resolutions, verified signatures of authorised officials, and evidence of adherence to constitutional procedures before any leadership change can be recognised.

Reacting to the development, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the delay was “largely administrative” and confirmed that the party made the required submissions to INEC last Thursday.

“We have had clarity now, and we made the required submission to INEC last Thursday. We are hopeful that everything will be resolved in the coming week,” he said.

The party has repeatedly accused unnamed individuals of attempts to frustrate its growth ahead of the 2027 general elections and other off-cycle polls.