How I Governed Anambra From My Village – Peter Obi

…Says He Had 200 Containers On Sea Day He Was Declared Governor

Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, who has been in the eye of the storm following his indictment in an international investigative report, has given a background into how he abruptly resigned as the chairman of about eleven companies after he was declared as governor in 2006.

Obi also gave insights into how ran “viable” local and foreign businesses as a private citizen before venturing into politics, as well as how a trust company was incorporated on he and his family’s behalf long before he became governor.

The former vice-presidential candidate offered the explanation against the backdrop of the allegations tax evasion and non-declaration of assets level against him in the Pandora Papers, an investigative project left by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

He spoke in an interview he granted to Arise TV and which was monitored by THE WHISTLER on Monday.

Obi also responded to allegations that fourteen months into his tenure Anambra governor, he failed to resign as a director at Next International Limited (UK), as required of public office holders who are on boards of companies.

He said, “Next International is an offshoot of Nigeria, which I run as Managing Director. This company is a UK-based brand management company. We are representatives of companies like Heinz and a number of multi-national companies in West Africa and I was the CEO.

“It is good that I tell you the background of how I became governor.

“I was living in the UK [and] operating in Nigeria. I was declared governor and winner of the [Anambra] election on Thursday, 6th of March, 2006.

“On that day, I was presiding over Fidelity Bank board meeting as the chairman and I had members, you can ask this. One of the members is somebody you value a lot, Bismarck Rewane. The late Ndubuisi Kanu was a member of the board and General [Mohammed] Magoro, the former Oando chairman, was a member of the board.

“I was presiding over the meeting and suddenly the late Ndubuisi Kanu said “stop! Mr. chairman, you have been declared the governor of Anambra State.” And that was how the meeting stopped. From there I called and they said you have to proceed to Abuja for INEC to give you a certificate of return. I left the board meeting, boarded the next flight to Abuja [and] by 6p.m. that day they gave me certificate of return. And I said to them that I want to go back to Lagos the next day, to bring pack my clothes so I can go to Awka for the swearing in [but] they said no, that please you need to proceed to Awka immediately because the then governor, Dr Chris Ngige, because of the then circumstances, had left the country.

Obi explained that he was hurriedly sworn in as governor because of the power vacuum created after Ngige fled the country following the annulment of his election by an election tribunal.

Obi said, “Immediately I was declared, he lost his immunity so he left through the boarders out of the country. So, there was no government in Anambra State. That’s how the next morning, I moved to Awka [and] as I arrived, they took me to the Chief Judge in his small space and he said these are forms for you to fill to declare your assets. I filled those forms in about 30 minutes…. whatever I could remember [and] the next minute I was sworn in as governor.
“When I finished the swearing in, I now said Ok “I’m now sworn in, where does the governor live,” because that time the governor’s lodge was brunt down and they said there is no house. I asked for the office [and] they said there was no office.

“So, I moved to my village, I stayed there and that was the government. From there, I phoned every company.”

According to the former governor, he resigned his chairmanship of about 11 companies via phone calls due to the circumstances that preceded his swearing in as governor.

‘I Had 200 Containers On Sea Day I Was Declared Governor’

“As at that day, I had over 200 containers on the sea and everything and I had just been announced governor and here I’m running a company. The only thing I could do was to phone my wife, because she worked with me in the company and I was the CEO and she was my deputy. I said you take charge, I would never come to London again, see what has happened to me and I was chairman/director of about 11 companies in Nigeria. I phoned all of them that I have resigned. On that day that I went to Awka until I was impeached in November, I never left Awka. Not one day.

On the allegation that he failed to declare some of his assets when he was declared governor, Obi said: “When they talk about the declaration forms…. I just told you a story that this company is owned by Next International Nigeria”. I didn’t declare assets that were with people, I didn’t declare some assets because those assets had been declared somewhere.

“So, if I declare Next Nigeria where I own 5%, I don’t have to declare another interest that Next Nigeria owns. And I didn’t declare some [assets] because they were subject of things that were bought from borrowed money. If you borrow money from me and buy this suit, when they ask you the owner, you have to put remark that you’re owing somebody because it’s not your suit because I can come to collect it tomorrow.

“So, what I tell people is that I declare things that belong to Mr Peter Obi, not even Peter Obi and wife and children.

“For example, I own shares in a bank in my name [and] I declared it. I didn’t declare the ones saying Next International owns because I have already declared my interests in Next International. It would amount to double declaration.

On allegations that he set up offshore companies for the purpose of tax evasion, Obi said “…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.”