Why Are There Few or No Deserts Within 5 Degrees

Why are there few or no deserts within 5 degrees latitude of the equator,even though this latitude averages the highest amount of sunlight of any latitiude on Earth?

A) because the equator itself crosses almost no land masses
B) because the Amazon, Nile, Congo and Mekong rivers carry sufficient water to stabilize lands at these latitudes
C) because warm air rises up from the Earth at the equator, and hence rainfall is high
D) because cool air from the upper atmosphere sinks down to the land or sea surface at these latitudes