Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho has warned against soliciting funds for his treatment.
Sunday Igboho, who is in detention in Benin Republic, was reported to have been rushed to a hospital over alleged liver disease.
His aide, Olayomi Koiki in a statement today, October 18, said that Igboho did not solicit funds for his treatment.
“I have just received a message from Chief Adeyemo’s lawyer that I should inform the public that he (Igboho) has not asked anyone to demand money towards his medical treatment in Benin Republic.
“Information has it that some individuals have been collecting money for Igboho’s medical bill.”
Koiki said that Igboho had appealed to the government of Benin Republic to allow him travel to Germany to seek proper medical attention.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced that for the first time in the history of election in Nigeria, it will transmit the forthcoming Anambra State election electronically.
“With all facilities in place and with the electronic transmission of results, I tell you that Anambra election will be embarrassingly transparent. This will build confidence in our electoral system.”
The assurance was given by the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Nwachukwu Orji, at the weekend in Awka, the state capital during a voter education and sensitisation forum for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and Women groups.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.
Dr. Orji who was represented by INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Samuel Nimem, said that the Commission has put facilities in place to achieve an all inclusive electoral process, during the November 6, election.
According to him, Anambra election will debunk all the ideas and beliefs that INEC rigs elections or commits electoral fraud.
“INEC is ready on every stage for the election. The electoral materials that got burnt recently in an attack have been replaced, non-sensitive materials have been distributed to all local government areas and training of officials and ad-hoc staff is ongoing as I speak to you.
“We have pasted and presented voters’ register to the political parties fielding candidates, we have published the final list of candidates and we have been engaging stakeholders to ensure security at polling units.
“We have increased polling units to 5,720 to increase access to all voters and we are carrying out aggressive voter education and sensitisation, appealing to residents to exercise their civic responsibilities.”
Dr. Orji called on the People With Disability (PWD) to actively participate in all aspects of the electoral process as the Commission had made adequate provisions in terms of voting aids.
“PWDs are very important citizens, so we give them special attention by creating an inclusive environment.
“You need to participate fully in the electoral process because you are all citizens of Nigeria and have the right to vote and be voted for. I assure you that we are doing all we can to ensure your safety.”
Orji called on the residents not to feel unconcerned about election matters, saying that it is an opportunity to vote in the candidate of their choice.
Also speaking, Mrs. Amina Yahaya, from IFES, said the organisation is committed to any course that would advance the development of PWDs and women.
“We are supporting this programme because we want the vulnerable groups to be actively involved in the electoral process because they have the right to vote the leader of their choice.”
In her presentation, Mrs. Dorothy Bello, Deputy Director, Civil Society Organisation, said that women and PWDs were critical stakeholders that should not be ignored during elections.
“INEC has the mandate to organise a free, fair, credible and inclusive election; and PWDs and women need to exercise their rights to vote and be voted for, without discrimination.
“This forum is to tell you that INEC is creating an enabling environment for all, irrespective of your status. This programme is to educate you on how to exercise your voting rights without any barriers.”
Appreciating INEC for its efforts so far, Ugochukwu Okeke, Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State chapter, promised to mobilise PWDs to participate in the election.
For the fourth time in a row, Dangote Group, a fully integrated Conglomerate and proudly Nigeria brand has emerged as the most Valuable brand in Nigeria with the MTN Nigeria trailing as the Most Popular brand in the new Top of the Mind (TOM) survey conducted among corporate executives in the country.
A statement today, October 18 by the spokesman of the group, Timilehin Oyedare said that in rating the brands, seven metrics were deployed, and they include Brand Popularity; Quality Element; Market leadership; Innovation; national Spread; CSR-Environmental friendliness and Online Engagements.
He said that out of the seven metrics, Dangote brand came atop in five, beating MTN to a distant second, adding that he ratings were made public, over the weekend, at the annual top corporate brand evaluation report by TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA.
According to Oyedare, the annual top brands league table which has become like a report card with which top corporate brands have a feel of their ranking in the market, is done with a special purpose model, the Brand Strength Measurement (BSM Index), a model that tests a brand’s ability deliver on its promise to its consumers from the consumer’s points of view.
“It is a qualitative, non-financial evaluation of top corporate brands in the country which is done annually.
He quoted Taiwo Oluboyede, the Brand Consulting firm’s CEO as saying that the subject of brand and branding has become central in every corporate setting.
He said that regardless of the sounds of the time, the brand drives and determines corporate placement, particularly at an unprecedented time like these.
“We are glad once again that a Nigerian brand emerged as the Most Valuable for the year. This says a lot about our tenacity and resilience as a people and our businesses, regardless of the situations around us. Even though overall, we have more multinationals, the homegrown brands gave an impressive performance.
“For example, 6 of the top 10 in the league table are Nigerian, most of which have also spread to other countries across Africa and other continents of the world.”
In the survey, Globacom emerged in the third place, followed closely by Coca-cola Nigeria which enjoys a lot of its global brand appeal.
Others in the top 10 in this annual ranking are GTBank, Airtel, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, and Dufil Prima Foods in that order.
Six brands among the top 10 have maintained top 10 positions for 6 years consecutively-they are Dangote, MTN, Globacom, FirstBank, GTBank, and Coca-Cola. The Banking and Financial Services category had the highest number of entries among the top 10 with 4 brands. This is followed by the telecoms with 3 brands.
Commenting on the top brands ranking, Femi Awoyemi, Founder and Chairman of Proshare Nigeria Limited (Nigeria’s foremost financial information hub), said: “With the thorough evaluation process and degree of attention to detail evident in the report, the list indeed provides a true and fair representation of top brands by strength, popularity and potentials in Nigeria…
This edition of BRANDNIGERIA’s Top50 Brands in Nigeria highlighted brands that have demonstrated strong resilience and adaptive capacity to the new normal in growing or maintaining their brands. These brands have been able to maintain consumers’ confidence and market shares as observed by professionals and analysts. A few things stand out.
First, it is commendable to see that in the evaluation process used in ranking the brands, professionals such as Chief Marketing Officers and Head of Corporate Communications and Reputation Managers. Second, the acknowledgment of Financial Technology (FinTech) as evidenced in the top 10 brands to watch in 2021 where FinTech accounted for about 50%.
Third is the continued domination of the list of the top 50 brands in 2021 by multinationals, banks, and NGX quoted brands. Dangote came 1st in 5 of the 7 metrics used in the ranking report.
Seven companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) made the list of top 10 brands in Nigeria. This implies that about 70% of the top brands are listed on NGX, which draws attention to the correlation between brands and markets.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has made it clear that for Facebook, Instagram and other social media to remain in business in Nigeria, they will be made to face the same conditions that will eventually be handed out to the suspended Twitter for it to return to business.
The Minister, who spoke today, October 18 in an interview with TVC, said that the engagements with Twitter had been positive and fruitful.
“All I can say is that the recommendations we are going to make will not only be applicable to Twitter but they will be applicable to all OTTs and other social media platforms in Nigeria.
“Today, we are dealing with Twitter, we don’t want a situation where we will be dealing with Facebook tomorrow and Instagram the next day. Our recommendations will be very comprehensive.”
When asked about the likely date the Twitter ban will be lifted, the minister said: “last night, the ministerial team met under my chairmanship and we reviewed the position of things.
“I want everyone to wait for the committee to officially give its reports to the president but things are looking very positive and rosy.”
All the military personnel from the countries of Africa have just concluded sporting activities, tagged: “Abuja 2021”. The event brought together members of the armed forces from different African countries with the goal of ensuring a united Continent. The sporting activities, known as Military Sports in Africa (OSMA) Sahel Military Games tagged, “Abuja 2021” ended with Team Chad winning the first position in the game of football, while Team Cameroun and Nigeria clinched the second and third positions respectively. In the 42.195 kilometer marathon race, Tanzania’s Michael Sangia and Jackhine Sakilu clinched the first positions in the male and female categories with returning time of two hours,19 minutes, 39 seconds and 2 hours, 43 hours, 35 seconds.
Also Tanzania’s Ezekiel Nigimba and Cameroun’s Foimi Justin clinched the 2nd and 3rd positions in the male race. Tanzania’s Sisilia Ginoka and Ossou Wakaye of Congo clinched the 2nd and 3rd positions in the female category. Speaking at the closing ceremony, according to a statement today, October 18 by the Deputy Director of Defence Information, Air Commodore Wap Maigida, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and the Chief of Defence Staff members(CDS), General Lucky Irabor commended athletes that participated in the sporting activities The Minister noted that Nigeria has made history for successfully hosting the first Sahel Military Games. Dr. Onu attributed the myriad of conflicts and crises experienced in some parts of Africa as part of the challenges of nation building. He urged African countries to leverage on sports to galvanize the much needed sustainable friendship, brotherhood and solidarity which are the ingredients required in building a united, peaceful and prosperous Continent. This was even as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Irabor commended the athletes for their sportsmanship during the event, saying that the main objective of the games in fostering unity, understanding and camaraderie within armed forces in the Continent was achieved.
The Defence Chief said that the foundation of the Sahel games would foster future collaboration and cooperation among the armed forces in Africa. According to him, this is in the area of using non-kinetic means to resolve the security challenges across the Continent. The OSMA Secretary General, Captaine De Fregate Djendola Piere, commended Nigeria and its Armed Forces for demonstrating commendable friendship, fraternity and active solidarity through hosting of the games. The OSMA Secretary General, thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria for supporting and promoting military sports within Africa as well as the development of OSMA. Captaine de Fregate Pire also appreciated the CDS, Service Chiefs and other co-sponsors as well as partners for their support. Highlight of the closing ceremony were the invitational relay race where athletes from the Nigeria Police Force and other paramilitary organisations participated. Witnessed also were presentation of medals to the individual winners and trophies to the participating countries. The OSMA flag was officially handed over to the Chadian Chief Delegate, whose country will be hosting the next edition of the games in 2022. Notable dignitaries that attended the sporting event include; Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, Chairman Nigerian Legion, Major General Abdulmalik Jubrin who represented the Minister of Defence while the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Government Affairs, was also represented by his Chief of Staff. Others were Service Chiefs, heads of security agencies, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional rulers, captains of industry and senior military officers, among others.
File photo: Members of IPOB during protest in Anambra
Owner of Raypower Radio and AIT, Raymond Dokpesi has said that the agitation for Biafra Republic, spearheaded by Nnamdi Kanu, has complicated the chances of an Igbo Presidency of Nigeria, especially in 2023.
According to him, with Nnamdi Kanu on stage, other Nigerians may not trust any Igbo for the position of presidency.
In a statement today, October 18, Dokpesi said that the feeling in other parts of the country is that IPOB could force an Igbo president to commence processes for the declaration of Biafra.
“The emergence of IPOB and its influence across the South East has complicated and undermined the agitation for patriotic Nigerians of Igbo extraction to lead this nation as far as the 2023 election is concerned.
“If nobody has told Ohaneze Ndigbo before, the concern today from some other regions is that if Nnamdi Kanu plays the role of Aguiyi Ironsi in leading a militant revolt against constitutional government in the southeast under Igbo presidency, the president will be pressured by his base to facilitate the UN processes for the South East to call for independence from Nigeria.
“Thus an Igbo President may be compromised in protecting the political and geographic boundaries of Nigeria whilst Nigeria remains under the threat of IPOB’s secessionist activities.”
Dokpesi’s view is backgrounded accusation by the Ohaneze Ndigbo over his comment that no candidate from the southeast or even the south as a whole could win the presidency in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There is a salient rule in archery, in warfare or combat: Always choose the right arrows when shooting at your target, or he would walk away in swaggering triumphalism.
Sadly, those who shot at Peter Obi recently with the arrow of Pandora Papers, using the spindling bows of Premium Times, an online news platform, failed to adhere to this obvious logic. They chose fragile, blunted arrows embellished with furbelows of lies, deceit and hoodwink. They simply aimed at the wrong target.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), claims that its project, Pandora Papers is the largest investigation in journalism history, which exposes a shadow financial system that benefits the world’s most rich and powerful.
The latest report is said to involve
over 600 journalists in 117 countries who thaw through files from 14 sources for months, in what has translated to a leak of almost 12 million documents that reveal hidden wealth, tax evasions and money laundering.
Indeed, widespread corruption among public servants and leaders is an obstacle to social and economic development, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria. It undermines democracy, destroys the credibility of government and erodes the essence of human living and existence.
Therefore, any intervention at increasing public service transparency, strengthening accountability or totally eliminating graft should be encouraged.
However, such interventions as the Pandora Papers, should not be a misrepresentation of facts. They should not be used as tools for witch hunting or damaging perceived political enemies.
Reading through the report by Premium Times, it is safe to conclude that it was a weaponized narrative shot from the political trenches of 2023; it was a debilitating whiff of conjecture and embellished anecdotes, without value or validity, devoid of substance or sustenance.
In a gale of presumptuous arrogance, it tried to draw legitimacy to its superficiality, even when the facts it presented were obviously hollow and contradictory.
The entire report reeks in suggestiveness and incitement; was judgemental, reproachfully deprecatory, and a well-greased projectile intended to perforate Obi’s personality, destroy his business empire and rubbish his growing political influence.
Its repeated use of the jaundiced phrase, ‘Obi could be charged,’ is a premium trial in which Obi had already been found guilty even before the article was written.
The report enviously quivered at Peter Obi as being widely regarded in Nigeria as an advocate of good governance, openness, and transparency. That’s right. Obi is not just an advocate, he is a template for good governance, openness, financial transparency and prudential management of public and private resources. And here, as the Yorubas say, is the koko. This is exactly what the premium trial by Premium Times set out to discredit.
One had expected to read an exclusive on how Peter Obi dipped his ‘sticky, sleazy’ fingers in the treasury of Anambra State and deprived the people of their Commonwealth and patrimony.
One had expected to read how Peter Obi did not leave 75 billion naira in the coffers of the Anambra State as he normally says, but converted the money to personal use. Readers would have loved to know how Obi illegally amassed so much wealth by duping Anambra and Nigerians; or the contracts he received from the government and converted the money to private use. We didn’t find that.
But the Pandora Papers with the mentality of an archeologist, dragged Obi to the crime field, hoping to excavate the relics and reasons of our failed nationhood strapped to his body.
Is it not ridiculous, that the report took a preposterous swipe at Obi’s speeches, feminine voice and self-effacing plebeian demeanour, then concluded that there is something he is hiding “beyond the facade of priggish speeches and appearances.”
On Obi’s investment in Monaco, the report said “the city does not charge wealth tax, property tax, investment income tax, and capital gains tax,” then it wondered whether it was this mouth-watering tax regime that attracted Obi to Monaco.
The answer is rhetorically affirmative. There is no investor that would not want to invest in countries where tax regimes are favourable and friendly. Did Obi break any law in this regard? No he didn’t.
Given the provisions of Section Six (6) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Obi said he dutifully resigned as a Director of Next. Common reasoning infers that the date a change is effected in the list of trustees or directors of a company is not necessarily the day a member resigned. What would have been in contention is that Obi did not resign. Again, he broke no law in this regard.
Many of the offshore businesses the Pandora Papers call hidden offshore treasures of the rich and the powerful are indeed some legitimate investments some of these people made before they became public servants.
In Peter Obi’s case, Next which the report said birthed his Nexus of hidden businesses was formed in 1991, 16 years before he became governor. The sponsors of the report and their hatchet men did not do a thorough job, but displayed outright ignorance when the report admitted it did not know what businesses Next engaged in. It also did not find anything in the records of the company suggestive of money laundering or fraud. So why the fuss about Next?
Rather, it questioned why a company should be registered with the names of family members, jointly owned or not. It celebrated its loathing for Obi and his accomplishments by questioning why there should even be a change of name or that of the directors. Again, Obi did not break any local or known international law by registering a business using family identities.
On failing to pay his taxes, Obi has also discredited the report. Recently while appearing as a guest at Arise TV, he said he has paid over N1bn tax to Nigeria In 20 Years.
He said: “The money I own here I pay tax. don’t forget I was a subject of a tax probe about two years ago and I showed evidence that in the last 20 years, I have consistently paid my tax and I have never paid less than N50m annually, so I pay my tax.”
Already, the Pandora Papers are bleeding profusely, as world leaders drag them to the slab, faulting every aspect of the reports and denying any wrongdoing.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis
said the allegations are an attempt to influence elections in his country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov who questioned the reliability of the “unsubstantiated” information said they didn’t see any hidden wealth of Putin’s inner circle in there.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who with six members of his family was linked to 13 offshore companies has denied the report as completely false.
Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera denied the information linked to him.
Interestingly, the Pandora Pandora Papers’ investigations and conclusions are based on three strands: “hidden wealth, tax evasions and money laundering”.
Did the report show any evidence that Peter Obi stole or hid state assets in his offshore companies or evaded tax in Nigeria or engaged in any form of money laundering? The answer is a capital NO.
Earlier, I stated that the Pandora Papers’ report on Obi was just a 2023 arrow disguised as an investigative report.
Who are these hooded marksmen? A convergence of disgruntled politicians obsessed with Obi’s growing stature as one of Nigeria’s finest politicians and entrepreneurial icons.
They were rattled with the success the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) recorded in the 2019 Presidential election with Peter Obi as the Vice Presidential Candidate. They are afraid that with the recent permutations, Peter Obi may likely get the ticket of the PDP as the presidential candidate or return as the vice presidential candidate. They are not comfortable with a man who has been transparent in his acquisitions, frugal in lavishness, theological in thoroughness, dogmatic in merit and
devoted to the Nigerian project.
They simply do not want a competent leader in Aso Rock, so that they can continue, like Eli’s two sons, Phinehas and Hophni, dipping their hands in the national wealth and take to themselves all the prime cuts of meat, leaving us, the flotsam and jetsam with nothing.
An African proverb says when all the water has gone, only the rocks and stones will still remain in the riverbed. Peter Obi bears Okwute (rock) as a traditional title. When all the water has gone, he will still remain one of Nigeria’s brightest pebbles.
Kogi State police command has detained four of its officers who allegedly behaved like “armed robbers” as displayed in a trending video clip on WhatsApp platforms. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba had earlier today, October 17, ordered an investigation into the matter, which reportedly took place today. The officers, ASP Isah Barnabas, Inspector Ifediegwu Godwin, Sgt Emmanuel Ochima and CPL Umameh Mathias, where shown in the video as forcing a passenger on Okene-Adogo road in Kogi State to withdraw N25,000 from an ATM for them. The video which went viral in other social media, showed that the officers removed their uniforms, changed into civilian dress and march their victim, who was said not to have committed any offence, to the nearby ATM where they forced him to withdraw the amount. The person who did the video gave his name as John Akinfehinwa. He showed one of the police officers shouting on top of his voice, menacingly displaying his gun. The video maker claimed that another person who was a fellow traveller was physically assaulted by one of the men in uniform. In a statement immediately, the spokesman of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, Frank Mba, quoted the IGP as having ordered investigation into the matter, even as the Kogi State Police Command commenced investigations. A statement by the Kogi Police Public Relations Officer, DSP William Ovye Aya said the State Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dauda Dabban, condemned the incident. He confirmed that the officers involved have been identified and detained at the State Criminal Investigations Department. “The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) has been issued an official query while the three other junior officers are currently undergoing orderly room trial (Police internal disciplinary actions).” The statement said that the Command is doing its best to establish contact with the victims. He enjoined the victims to reach out to the Command thorough 08107899269. He assured that any of the officers found wanting in the investigations would be dealt with accordingly. The officers, who are attached to Adogo Division were on patrol duty along Adogo-Okene road at the time the incidence happened.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that a half million women, men and children in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states are at risk of starvation as its funding for the region dries up. In a statement, the global agency said it might soon be forced to cut food rations except it secured urgent funding to continue its life-saving operations in the crisis hotspot. The region had been a mainstay of insurgency attacks for over a decade and the situation had been worsened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising high food prices, the WFP said. The UN agency also said the number of internally-displaced persons surpassed two million in September. “Cutting rations means choosing who gets to eat and who goes to bed hungry. We are seeing funding for our life-saving humanitarian work dry up just at the time when hunger is at its most severe,” said Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa following a recent visit to Nigeria. The WFP, which won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2020, said it required at least $55 million in a matter of weeks to avoid cutting food aid. “Our food assistance is a lifeline for millions whose lives have been upended by conflict and have almost nothing to survive on. We must act now to save lives and avoid disruptions to this lifeline,” Nikoi added. The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said cutting food assistance “will be a painful decision for humanitarians as it will negatively affect children, women and men uprooted from their homes due to continued violence. “As we call upon our partners to step up their support in response to the growing needs, I would like to say thank you to those who have stood with us over the years in providing the much-needed humanitarian assistance in the country.” According to its Friday statement, the WFP said it had “provided life-saving food and nutrition assistance to severely food insecure people, displaced families in camps, and to vulnerable people living in host communities thanks to generous contributions from Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the United States of America, and private donors. “This year, relying on the continued generosity of donor partners, WFP ramped up its response to address rising food insecurity and the impact of COVID-19, targeting 1.9 million displaced people in Nigeria with life-saving food assistance. “To sustain humanitarian operations in northeast Nigeria until March 2022, WFP urgently requires USD 197 million.”
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari Receives “The Sun Man of The Year” Award in Lagos, Saturday, October 16.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has announced that for the first time in the history of election in Nigeria, it will transmit the forthcoming Anambra State election electronically.
For the fourth time in a row, Dangote Group, a fully integrated Conglomerate and proudly Nigeria brand has emerged as the most Valuable brand in Nigeria with the MTN Nigeria trailing as the Most Popular brand in the new Top of the Mind (TOM) survey conducted among corporate executives in the country.
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari Receives “The Sun Man of The Year” Award in Lagos, Saturday, October 16.
Peter Obi And Arrows Of 2023, By Justus Nwakanma
There is a salient rule in archery, in warfare or combat: Always choose the right arrows when shooting at your target, or he would walk away in swaggering triumphalism.
Sadly, those who shot at Peter Obi recently with the arrow of Pandora Papers, using the spindling bows of Premium Times, an online news platform, failed to adhere to this obvious logic. They chose fragile, blunted arrows embellished with furbelows of lies, deceit and hoodwink. They simply aimed at the wrong target.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), claims that its project, Pandora Papers is the largest investigation in journalism history, which exposes a shadow financial system that benefits the world’s most rich and powerful.
The latest report is said to involve
over 600 journalists in 117 countries who thaw through files from 14 sources for months, in what has translated to a leak of almost 12 million documents that reveal hidden wealth, tax evasions and money laundering.
Indeed, widespread corruption among public servants and leaders is an obstacle to social and economic development, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria. It undermines democracy, destroys the credibility of government and erodes the essence of human living and existence.
Therefore, any intervention at increasing public service transparency, strengthening accountability or totally eliminating graft should be encouraged.
However, such interventions as the Pandora Papers, should not be a misrepresentation of facts. They should not be used as tools for witch hunting or damaging perceived political enemies.
Reading through the report by Premium Times, it is safe to conclude that it was a weaponized narrative shot from the political trenches of 2023; it was a debilitating whiff of conjecture and embellished anecdotes, without value or validity, devoid of substance or sustenance.
In a gale of presumptuous arrogance, it tried to draw legitimacy to its superficiality, even when the facts it presented were obviously hollow and contradictory.
The entire report reeks in suggestiveness and incitement; was judgemental, reproachfully deprecatory, and a well-greased projectile intended to perforate Obi’s personality, destroy his business empire and rubbish his growing political influence.
Its repeated use of the jaundiced phrase, ‘Obi could be charged,’ is a premium trial in which Obi had already been found guilty even before the article was written.
The report enviously quivered at Peter Obi as being widely regarded in Nigeria as an advocate of good governance, openness, and transparency. That’s right. Obi is not just an advocate, he is a template for good governance, openness, financial transparency and prudential management of public and private resources. And here, as the Yorubas say, is the koko. This is exactly what the premium trial by Premium Times set out to discredit.
One had expected to read an exclusive on how Peter Obi dipped his ‘sticky, sleazy’ fingers in the treasury of Anambra State and deprived the people of their Commonwealth and patrimony.
One had expected to read how Peter Obi did not leave 75 billion naira in the coffers of the Anambra State as he normally says, but converted the money to personal use. Readers would have loved to know how Obi illegally amassed so much wealth by duping Anambra and Nigerians; or the contracts he received from the government and converted the money to private use. We didn’t find that.
But the Pandora Papers with the mentality of an archeologist, dragged Obi to the crime field, hoping to excavate the relics and reasons of our failed nationhood strapped to his body.
Is it not ridiculous, that the report took a preposterous swipe at Obi’s speeches, feminine voice and self-effacing plebeian demeanour, then concluded that there is something he is hiding “beyond the facade of priggish speeches and appearances.”
On Obi’s investment in Monaco, the report said “the city does not charge wealth tax, property tax, investment income tax, and capital gains tax,” then it wondered whether it was this mouth-watering tax regime that attracted Obi to Monaco.
The answer is rhetorically affirmative. There is no investor that would not want to invest in countries where tax regimes are favourable and friendly. Did Obi break any law in this regard? No he didn’t.
Given the provisions of Section Six (6) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Obi said he dutifully resigned as a Director of Next. Common reasoning infers that the date a change is effected in the list of trustees or directors of a company is not necessarily the day a member resigned. What would have been in contention is that Obi did not resign. Again, he broke no law in this regard.
Many of the offshore businesses the Pandora Papers call hidden offshore treasures of the rich and the powerful are indeed some legitimate investments some of these people made before they became public servants.
In Peter Obi’s case, Next which the report said birthed his Nexus of hidden businesses was formed in 1991, 16 years before he became governor. The sponsors of the report and their hatchet men did not do a thorough job, but displayed outright ignorance when the report admitted it did not know what businesses Next engaged in. It also did not find anything in the records of the company suggestive of money laundering or fraud. So why the fuss about Next?
Rather, it questioned why a company should be registered with the names of family members, jointly owned or not. It celebrated its loathing for Obi and his accomplishments by questioning why there should even be a change of name or that of the directors. Again, Obi did not break any local or known international law by registering a business using family identities.
On failing to pay his taxes, Obi has also discredited the report. Recently while appearing as a guest at Arise TV, he said he has paid over N1bn tax to Nigeria In 20 Years.
He said: “The money I own here I pay tax. don’t forget I was a subject of a tax probe about two years ago and I showed evidence that in the last 20 years, I have consistently paid my tax and I have never paid less than N50m annually, so I pay my tax.”
Already, the Pandora Papers are bleeding profusely, as world leaders drag them to the slab, faulting every aspect of the reports and denying any wrongdoing.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis
said the allegations are an attempt to influence elections in his country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov who questioned the reliability of the “unsubstantiated” information said they didn’t see any hidden wealth of Putin’s inner circle in there.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who with six members of his family was linked to 13 offshore companies has denied the report as completely false.
Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera denied the information linked to him.
Interestingly, the Pandora Pandora Papers’ investigations and conclusions are based on three strands: “hidden wealth, tax evasions and money laundering”.
Did the report show any evidence that Peter Obi stole or hid state assets in his offshore companies or evaded tax in Nigeria or engaged in any form of money laundering? The answer is a capital NO.
Earlier, I stated that the Pandora Papers’ report on Obi was just a 2023 arrow disguised as an investigative report.
Who are these hooded marksmen? A convergence of disgruntled politicians obsessed with Obi’s growing stature as one of Nigeria’s finest politicians and entrepreneurial icons.
They were rattled with the success the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) recorded in the 2019 Presidential election with Peter Obi as the Vice Presidential Candidate. They are afraid that with the recent permutations, Peter Obi may likely get the ticket of the PDP as the presidential candidate or return as the vice presidential candidate. They are not comfortable with a man who has been transparent in his acquisitions, frugal in lavishness, theological in thoroughness, dogmatic in merit and
devoted to the Nigerian project.
They simply do not want a competent leader in Aso Rock, so that they can continue, like Eli’s two sons, Phinehas and Hophni, dipping their hands in the national wealth and take to themselves all the prime cuts of meat, leaving us, the flotsam and jetsam with nothing.
An African proverb says when all the water has gone, only the rocks and stones will still remain in the riverbed. Peter Obi bears Okwute (rock) as a traditional title. When all the water has gone, he will still remain one of Nigeria’s brightest pebbles.
*Nwakanma, a journalist, wrote in from Lagos.