Fraud Allegations: Igbokwe to Obanikoro family; return to Nigeria

 

 

                                    

 

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has advised a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and two of his sons to return to Nigeria to answer the allegations of fraud levelled against them.

While Senator Obanikoro has been accused of helping the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to rig the June 21, 2014 election, his sons, Gbolahan and Babajide, are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving N4.75bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria Imprest Account of the Office of the National Security Adviser under Sambo Dasuki between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.

Senator Obanikoro, who is a citizen of the United States, has since the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan relocated to the US, where he is currently studying History at Oglethorpe University in Georgia. His sons are also currently in the US.

They have all denied the allegations levelled against them.

However, Igbokwe said the matter was a serious one and that the Obanikoros should come to Nigeria to clear their name.

He said issuing statements from the US was not enough.

The APC spokesperson said Nigeria had an extradition treaty with the US, adding that President Barack Obama had even promised to assist Nigeria in fighting corruption.

He, therefore, argued that even if the Obanikoros did not come back of their own volition, the US government could repatriate them.

Igbokwe, therefore, warned that it was better for the Obanikoros to come back to Nigeria honourably than to be disgraced.

Igbokwe said, “I advise the Obanikoro family to come back and prove that they have nothing to do with these allegations. They must come to clear their family name. It is important that they do this because the money that we are talking about is too huge for them to just brush aside.

“Issuing statements is not enough especially when there is evidence that cannot be ignored. So, they better come back because if they don’t, America, which has promised to support us, will extradite them.”

-Punch