Ayodele Adewale, the organising secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has claimed that the Bullion vans spotted in 2019 entering the house of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party, only missed their way.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Thursday, Adewale said the vans spotted entering Tinubu’s house on February 22, 2019, a day before the presidential election, had erroneously arrived there.
He said, “Some companies pay their staff in cash. The vans did not have any money in them; they missed their way and ended up there. Tinubu did not invite them.”
Bullion van spotted entering Tinubu’s residence in 2019
Reacting, Rufai Oseni, one of the programme’s anchors, quizzed Adewale over Tinubu’s response to questions on the same money vans. Oseni read out Tinubu’s February 23, 2019 reaction confirming the vans brought money to him.
Tinubu had earlier said, “Excuse me, is it my money or government money? I don’t work for government; I am not in [any] agency of government. Let anybody come out to say I have taken any contract from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last five years.
“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?
“Excuse me, if I don’t 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, a0s 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, and its because they are jobless.”
Adewale maintained his position on the vans. He said he was with Tinubu when he gave the statement to the press in 2019, and that it was merely a statement to dispel rumours.
“I have told you; it was a missed identity of address,” Adewale responded.
Adewale also said Tinubu was employing “swag” to get the attention of Nigerians and this was mistaken for incoherent speech.
His statements drew chuckles from the Arise TV anchors.