We're not investigating Tinubu's alleged drug dealing case - INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shut down viral rumour that it has commenced investigation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over alleged criminal forfeiture case.

How it happened: The agency disclosed this via a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

The misleading statement, allegedly signed by Okoye, had claimed that the electoral body was liaising with the Northern Illinois District Court in the United States to establish facts about the case before taking a decision.

INEC reacts: But, reacting to the development, INEC disowned the press release, noting that it was a creation of mischief makers.

INEC's statement read: “A press release purported to have been issued by the commission has been trending online since Friday, November 11, 2022. It claims that the commission has commenced an 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 the same to determine a 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.”