Former Governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, has revealed the his reason for opening and running offshore accounts for him and his family. ayokinews.com reports
The former Governor got into a battle of defense after being indicted in the release of the earthshaking “Pandora Papers” investigative report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
The investigative project saw 600 journalists from 150 news organisations across the globe unravel a trove of 11.9 million financial confidential documents.
The leaked financial documents were retrieved from several offshore services firms across the globe that help clients set up shell companies and other offshore entities.
Peter Obi was also one of the many important personalities indicted in the ICIJ Pandora Papers, for clandestinely opening and operating businesses overseas, which included notorious tax and secrecy havens in ways that breached Nigerian laws.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Monday, and monitored by AYOKINEWS, Obi addressed the “Pandora Papers” scandal saying he breached no breached no law and committed no crime.
In his words: “Trust company is a legitimate vehicle used everywhere globally for investment, savings and estate planning purposes. In my Particular case and that of my family, it was done on very valuable advice of our then bankers, Loyce TSB. This is what they did for all their international clients who operated at the time i lived in the UK. They will help you to see that the formulated trust company offshore and that is what we did.
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“This company was never used to launder money before, during and after till date. It wasn’t used for anything during my time in office. It was strictly a trust company for savings and family planning that was used to support our borrowings which we even invested in this country”.
When asked by one of the Arise News program anchors, if he had $500 million dollars in his accounts. Peter Obi replied saying:
“If you see more than 3% of that, in there, confiscate all my properties here and abroad.
Obi continued: “As a father, I save for my children, i save for my family and they Know.
“If you go there and find more than 3%, about 3% which is about $15 million, if i bequeath my children $500 million, i have cursed them. There is money you bequeath People, you curse them. You bequeath them what is manageable so that they can start their life. If you see anything more than $15 million there, confiscate what i have overseas and here”.
Video:
https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/beirut-protest-gunfire-live-intl/index.html
