South East canvasser for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency, Dr. Josef Onoh has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate is very fit to administer Nigeria at his 70 years of age, adding that Tinubu has no drug charges against him anywhere in the world as some political opponents had laboriously tried to hang on Tinubu.

Onoh, therefore, asked campaigners against the Tinubu presidency to become more creative and look for where else to hinge their campaign of calumny since the dummy of old age, ill health, and trumped-up drug scandal have failed to fly against Tinubu.

Onoh in a statement he made available from Paris France, on Monday, cited a United States of America, USA, clean bill of health, where it exonerated Tinubu from any drug dealing in the United States as some political enemies of Tinubu had tried to allege against him.

Citing a letter from the US Consulate in Lagos on February 4, 2003 to the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun with reference number SR. 3000/IGPSEC/ABJ/VOL. 24/287, Onoh said that the United States of America after going through Tinubu’s records in America found nothing incriminating on him, noting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicated that at no time was Tinubu arrested or wanted for crime in the USA.

In a letter signed by the legal attaché in the US consulate, Michael H. Bonner, to the Nigeria Police, the Consulate said that “a record check of the FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC) was conducted and the results of the check were negative for any criminal records, wants, or warrants for Bola Ahmed Tinubu (DOB 29 March 1952). For information of your department, NCIC is a very centralized information center that maintains the records of every criminal arrest and conviction within the United States and its territories.”

Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr. Abiodun Ogunleye, had on January 30, 2003, written to the Inspector-General of Police, dated February 3, 2003, asking him to make enquiries at the US Embassy in connection with allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering levelled at the governor by a gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the party, Sir Tunde Olowu, with a view to confirming if he (Tinubu) indeed had any criminal record.

Onoh in his reaction stated that Tinubu has been investigated severally without indictment, yet people have decided to gain cheap fame by trying to use social media to parade falsehood and continuous application of propaganda. He challenges those writing petitions to the EFCC against Tinubu to go and make their own money and use a barrow, bicycle, or tricycle to carry their own money since they complain about Asiwaju using a bullion van to convey his money.

“Unfortunately, all the energy being employed in waging this propaganda would have been channelled into making efforts to win votes. People have also been appointed to make age an issue of this campaign; they believe that people can be made to
believe that by the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise. They were appointed to make age an issue of this campaign, trying to make people believe that Asiwaju is above 80 years instead of 70 when in reality all recorded facts indicate that he is 70 years.

“But the Asiwaju is roundly fit in all ramifications to run the affairs of this country and he has no drug charge. All these characters attempting to sell these falsehoods are worse case scenarios in terms of leadership and governance of Nigeria,” Onoh said.

On Tinubu’s performance as Governor of Lagos state, Onoh gave bit of a rundown of some of Asiwaju’s early projects in Lagos state which he said have remained legacies in the state 22 years after. He counted on a few such projects including the Ikotun-Igando road in Alimosho LGA; I,300 Alliance Housing estate in Ajah; Iyana-Ipaja modern market; World Bank standard Drug and Food Quality assurance Laboratory; 60.8 megawatts power generation; Iloro Millennium school; Primary Health centers at Eti-Osa; Ifako/Ijaiye LG roads.

He named other services rendered by the Tinubu administration in Lagos state to include free buses, boat services to Teachers and Heath workers; Chicago University scholarships; Ambulance services; waste disposal equipment; free WAEC and NECO registration for students; Operational vehicles for police; Job creation for youths; enhanced education through the provision of ICT infrastructure, among many other services too numerous to mention.

Onoh said that to judge a man, his critics should look at his legacies, insisting that Asiwaju left good legacies in Lagos State and went ahead to mentor following leaders that have also bequeathed Lagos State and Nigeria with giant strides.

“Just take a look at the Honourable Minister for works, Babatunde Fashola. From my interaction with him, I could see that he is a highly intelligent and amazing politician I have met who believes strongly in Nigeria. His work as Lagos State Governor speaks volumes and remains impeccable to date. The same goes for his other successors such as former Governor Ambode and the current Governor Sanwo-Olu whose administration speaks volumes. My question now is, how much more does one need to sell a brand that is already selling itself?”