Since local media organisations commenced publication of the leaked Pandora Papers, former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has been hard pressed to deny the revelations on his secret business dealings overseas.
Like similar document leaks before it, the Pandora Papers have helped to expose the concealed fortunes in offshore tax havens and, in some cases, money laundering by some of the most powerful people in the world.
But in a statement, Obi dismissed a report by Premium Times, which disclosed that the former governor had concealed a number of offshore businesses and investments when he was at the helm of affairs in Anambra State.
According to Musikilu Mojeed, editor-in-chief of Premium Times, Obi may have violated the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act by not declaring his or that of his family’s beneficial ownership in the said assets.
Mojeed, who was on the show last week, added that the former governor flouted the Nigerian Constitution by operating a foreign bank account while in office and may have concealed his offshore investments to avoid tax.
Obi, a Vice Presidential candidate in the 2019 elections, joined ARISE News to give his side of the story on the allegations made against him by Premium Times.
Watch the Interview for more…
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I wanted to listen to the full interview and I have done that.
Observations;
1) Peter Obi did not deny operating a foreign account while a Governor. He was just evasive by stating that his wife and children have their own money which belongs to them. He also insinuated that his children's account and possibly the wife as well were savings account which he set up for them. He also did not state whether he was a signatory to these accounts or not but one can infer from what he said that he was because his children wanted it clear that their money will not be used for electioneering when he decided to contest for governorship.
2) It is very surprising for him to say that no one told him what to do with respect to assets declaration and yet he cuts the picture that he was aware enough and so should have had a legal opinion when he got into office.
3) The notion that he was in a board meeting when he was told he had become a governor do not sound as intended for the right impression. Is he saying that he was not aware of the final court judgement on his case that very day? Yet he was quick to state how Ngige had succeeded in running away through a land border and yet he was not ready to assume office.
His answers were mostly evasive, besides saying he did not flout any law.
I have always had great respect for Peter Obi but he did not come clear.