The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the bullion vans seen at his Bourdillon residence on Friday were not loaded with ballot papers as widely reported, but with money belonging to him.
Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, also said the cash was not from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), neither from any government agency or department as claimed in different reports on the social media.
He made the clarification after voting at Polling Unit 047, Ward 3 located at Sunday Adigun, Alausa yesterday, describing those circulating the photographs of the bullion vans on the social media as mischief makers.
Photographs had gone viral on different social media platforms on Friday showing two bullion vans driven into Tinubu’s residence on the eve of the presidential election.
A number of political supporters clustered at the entrance of Tinubu’s residence in Bourdillion while the two bullion vans were driven driven into the expansive home.
Consequently, Nigerians had reacted angrily at the photographs with some alleging that the presidency had allocated a sum of N5 billion to Lagos and Rivers States each to buy votes in yesterday’s presidential election.
Confronted with questions on the bullion vans, Tinubu said: “Bullion vans? Are those ballot paper? Excuse me. Is it my money or government money? I do not work for government. I am not in any agency of government.
“Let anybody come out to say I have taken any contract from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last four years,” the national leader said.
According to him, they should prove it. I am on my own, and I am committed to my party. So, even if I have money to spend in my premises, what is your headache?
He said, “Excuse me, if I do not represent any agency of government and I have money to spend, if I have money, if I like, I give it to the people free of charge as long as not to buy votes.
“So, who are those watching my house and looking at Bullion vans? They must be mischief makers. They report falsehood. Their lies are numerous. It is because they are jobless.”
Tinubu was a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992 to 1993, and governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007.
