A former governor of Anambra State and vice-presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections, Peter
Obi, has said he was a trader who ventured into banking before he became a governor.
Obi said this during an interview on The Morning Show, an
Arise TV programme that aired on Monday.
This is amid allegations from a report inspired by Pandora
Papers which listed him as one of the personalities who clandestinely set up
and operated businesses overseas, including in notorious tax and secrecy havens
in the ways that breached Nigerian laws.
Obi had reacted to the report, saying, “I did not in any
respect whatsoever violate any law before, during and after my stewardship as
the governor of Anambra.”
He added, “I think that the authors displayed ignorance on
matters of Trust and International Investment Practices.”
Speaking during the Arise TV programme monitored by The
PUNCH, Obi answered a question on how he made money before becoming a governor.
He said he ran a planned market management company, adding
that he “was the sole importer of Heinz salad cream, just to give you an
example of one company.
“I was the sole
engineer of South African Breweries. I was also bringing in Ovaltine.
“The company I was with before, I left it for my brother who
took over and paid me off. That company became the Next Cash and Carry which
you see in Port Harcourt and Abuja.”
He further revealed that he used to import wine back in the
days, adding that “everyone knew I was a very big trader.”
He said, “I had a very good business but went into banking.
“I was sitting in the board of three banks and was the
chairman of one before I became a governor.”
Obi also revealed that he had major shares in the banks
where he was a board member.
He, however, stated that joining politics made him poorer
even though he doesn’t regret the decision he took.
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