Group seeks Tinubu’s prosecution before May 29 over Guinea citizenship

An advocacy group, the Incorporated Trustees of Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative, has called for the investigation and subsequent prosecution of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, before May 29.

The group stated that its position is informed by the indictment of the president-elect in an alleged perjury which borders on Tinubu’s possession of a Guinean Passport.

This was contained in an ‘Affidavit of Urgency’ in support of a motion ex parte filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja wherein the group sought the court’s permission to apply for an order compelling the Inspector General of Police to investigate and order Tinubu’s prosecution if found guilty of perjury regarding his Guinean citizenship.

In the motion exparte with number FHC/ABJ/CS/669/2023 and filed on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, ASRADI is claiming that the president-elect lied on oath when he refused to give information regarding his Guinean citizenship in his Form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission in aid of his qualification for the 2023 presidential election.

It stated that it is the case of the plaintiff that, “The non-disclosure by Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the INEC Form EC9 of his dual citizenship of his voluntary acquisition of the citizenship of Guinea amounts to Perjury”.

More so, the group pointed out that it resorted to the court’s intervention as its request to the police to investigate the matter has not yielded fruit.
As exhibits in support of the application is the group’s letter to the IG dated May 8 and signed by the Executive Director, Adeolu Oyinlola.

The letter with the title: Demand for Investigation of Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Suspected Perjury, read in part, “At page three (3) of the affidavit in support of personal particulars Form EC9 which Ahmed Tinubu filled and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) preparatory to contesting for President on February 25, 2023, he declared on oath in answer to question eleven (11) that he has not voluntarily acquired citizenship of any other country.
“However, it has now come to light that the subject has indeed voluntarily acquired citizenship of Guinea”.

Following, Oyinlola demanded “a thorough investigation of this allegation and subsequent prosecution of the suspect within seven (7) days of the receipt of this correspondence.”

The Executive Director however stated that ASRADI has neither received a reply to its letter nor is aware that the police have commenced an investigation of Tinubu in respect of the alleged perjury committed with regards to his Form EC9 in respect of his Guinean citizenship.

ASRADI said, “The respondent had willfully refused to investigate and / or prosecute Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the offense of perjury where he is found culpable.”

“By the actions/ inactions of the respondent in respect of the request for investigation made by the applicant to the respondent, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is walking free without answering to his past deeds.”

“It is in the public interest that the respondent investigates the said claims contained in the INEC Form EC9 sworn to by Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 14, 2022 regarding his citizenship.

“The respondent has no justification for refusing to investigate Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the alleged offence of perjury.

ASRADI through its lawyer, Chukwunweike Okafor, therefore prayed the court for an order granting leave to the applicant to bring an application for an order of judicial review to seek the reliefs set out in the statement attached to the application.

The reliefs include a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 215(1)(a) and 2 of the Constitution and Sections 31 and 32 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the respondent is under both constitutional and statutory obligation to investigate Tinubu for the offence of perjury contained in the INEC Form EC9 sworn to by him on June 14, 2022, regarding his Guinean citizenship.

“An order of mandamus compelling the respondent to investigate the fillings made by Bola Ahmed Tinubu in respect of his Guinean citizenship contained in INEC Form EC9 sworn to by him on June 14, 2022, and where he is found culpable of the offence of perjury, refer him to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution”.
He also urged the court to “compel the respondent to investigate and prosecute Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the offence of perjury before May 29, 2023, which is the date of the swearing -in of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Oyinlola in the Affidavit of Urgency prayed that the application be heard and determined before the inauguration of Tinubu as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2023