Pandora Papers: I’m yet to receive letter from EFCC, says Peter Obi

Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra, says he is yet to receive any invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Leaked files, which were reportedly retrieved from 14 offshore service firms around the world and revealed in a Pandora Papers project led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), and which Premium Times is a part of, had shown how the former governor failed to declare assets kept in tax havens.

He was also said to have been a director of Next International (UK) Limited for 14 months after becoming the governor of Anambra state, thereby breaking section 6 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which stipulates that public office holders cannot engage in or direct a private business, except if it is farming.

Following the release of the report, the EFCC reportedly summoned Obi for questioning.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Obi had responded to the EFCC invitation, and asked the anti-graft agency to make the investigation public.

However, in a statement on Monday by Valentine Obienyem, his spokesman, the former governor denied commenting on the invitation by the EFCC.

Obienyem also said Obi is yet to receive the letter from the EFCC.

“From what is circulating, the letter appears to have been sent to an office he is no longer part of and is yet to reach him,” the statement reads.

“Obi, being a law-abiding Nigerian, will honour all legitimate invitations from government agencies at all times.”