Presidency Breaks Silence On Election Day Bullion Van In Tinubu’s Residence

Presidency Speaks On Tinubu’s Bullion Van Episode

Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has reacted to calls for the investigation of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

It will be recalled there have been several calls for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the case of bullion vans that were driven into the Lagos residence of Chief Tinubu on the eve of the 2019 general election in the country.

However, Sagay in his reaction to the calls for an investigation and possible prosecution of the incident has submitted that Tinubu was already rich before he became a politician and his source of wealth is legitimate and traceable.

Sagay added that Tinubu, had on several occasions in the past, used his personal money to help some politicians and others in the society.

“Tinubu was already very rich before he became governor. He is not a man who became rich after he joined the government,” he told Daily Independent, Friday.

“He worked in the petroleum sector. I recalled that during the course of his fight with Abacha, he had to escape for his life in order to join so many other people like Anthony Enahoro, Wole Soyinka and many other pro-democracy activists.

“Tinubu was the one funding quite a lot of the organisations and those staying abroad. So, he has always been a man of means.

“It will be ridiculous that having come back to the country, won’t he invest his money into various ventures? So, no one should be surprised that he is a rich man.

“All I know is that he is rich from his own hard work, investments and therefore, he should be given the benefit of the doubt instead of being subjected to the persecution which some people want him to be subjected to.”

It will be recalled that Deji Adeyanju had written a petition to the EFCC against the bullion van incidence in Tinubu’s residence after the anti-graft agency had declared it hadn’t received any formal petition on the episode.

Adeyanju’s action came after the commission had dared Segun Awosanya, popularly known as Segalink, to write a petition against Tinubu if he felt it was wrong for the former governor of Lagos to have had two bullion vans at his Lagos residence on the eve of the presidential and National Assembly elections.