The former Vice Presidential Candidate and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has finally broken his silence over the allegations of corruption levelled against him by the Pandora Papers.
The Pandora Papers was created by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a non-profit newsroom and network of journalists with headquarters in Washington DC.
It exposes the secret and opaque dealings of offshore finances and dealings of the world’s most powerful men.
The Papers accused Peter Obi of setting up companies as fronts for his business activities and is alleged to have changed the name of one of the major offshore companies to PMGG.
The former governor is, in addition, alleged to have hidden the companies and information about them from the public and the Nigerian government.
However, in a statement signed on Thursday, Peter Obi denied breaching any government law by engaging in secret business set-ups in tax havens.
He said that the Pandora Papers did not accuse him of any form of corruption, either in the form of diversion of public funds or in any other manner during his stewardship as governor of Anambra State.
Obi added that the publication did not state that he had engaged in unlawful business ventures at any time.
He noted that the allegation bordered more on tax avoidance and non-declaration of some jointly owned assets.
He also questioned if thorough scrutiny and appreciation of the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged transactions were made by the writers.
Peter Obi’s statement:
“On the allegation that I violated the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, as well as sections of the 5th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), by not declaring any alleged assets in Companies registered outside the Nigerian Federation, I think that the authors displayed ignorance on matters of Trust and International Investment Practices.
“I did not in any respect whatsoever violate any law before, during and after his stewardship as the Governor of Anambra.
“In all matters relating to my investments and declaration of my personal assets, wherever they may be found, I will rely on professional opinions and advice of investment experts both locally and internationally.
“I have also engaged and acted on solicited advice by reputable legal practitioners on whose opinion I relied.
“However, I urged all well-meaning persons to see through what I called “the hopeless sleight and ignore the publication.”
Read also:
Pandora Papers – ‘Former Governor Peter Obi Indicted in Shady Offshore Deals’
Peter Obi Breaks Silence on Pandora Papers Allegations
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