You are Money Launderer-In-Chief”, Sowore Blasts Peter Obi ” Amid Renewed Pandora Papers Controversy
You are Money Launderer-In-Chief”, Sowore Blasts Peter Obi ” Amid Renewed Pandora Papers Controversy
In a fresh wave of political confrontation, activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has reignited controversy over Peter Obi’s alleged financial misconduct, branding the Labour Party chieftain as the “Money Launderer-In-Chief.”
Sowore made the remark in reaction to a report by Premium Times, which cited findings from the global Pandora Papers investigation into offshore financial dealings.
According to the Premium Times exposé, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential hopeful, was linked to secret offshore companies allegedly used to hold foreign assets without disclosing them to Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau.
The report states that Obi maintained a directorship in Next International (UK) Limited and failed to declare these interests, in violation of Nigerian law.
“The revelation was part of the Pandora Papers, a global collaboration between investigative newsrooms and journalists,” Premium Times reported.
The investigation claims that Obi set up entities in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Belize while holding public office a potential breach of asset declaration rules.
Sowore, never one to shy from controversy, amplified the report in a scathing social media post.
He wrote:
“I heard the ‘Money Launderer-In-Chief’ at Pandora Papers and packaged fraud has fabricated another story this morning about the reason his elder brothers bounced him during his ill-fated visit to Rome.”
The comment appeared to reference both the Pandora Papers allegations and a separate family-related incident involving Obi, suggesting a broader critique of the former governor’s integrity.
In response to earlier allegations, Obi had denied any wrongdoing, stating that his offshore companies were set up prior to assuming office and that he had resigned from all business roles upon becoming governor.
“I am not guilty. There is nothing hidden. Everything is declared,” he insisted in a 2021 statement.
Still, the controversy remains potent. Critics argue that while offshore holdings are not inherently illegal, Obi’s alleged failure to declare them, and his continued directorship while in office, raise serious ethical and legal questions.
Supporters maintain that the investigation is politically motivated, especially given the proximity of these revelations to major electoral contests.
Legal analysts say the implications could be significant. “If proven, this amounts to a breach of the Nigerian Constitution and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers,” one Lagos-based lawyer told Premium Times.
The Pandora Papers, a massive leak of financial documents facilitated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), has implicated dozens of public officials worldwide. Nigeria’s inclusion, particularly the case of Peter Obi, underscores persistent concerns about transparency and accountability in governance.
As Nigeria grapples with mounting debt, economic strain, and governance challenges, the renewed attention to elite financial practices and the political sparring that follows is unlikely to fade soon.
