SAN FRANCISCO, September 20, (THEWILL) – A former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, as declared that it would be impossible for him to demand for the sum of N7billion from his successor, Willie Obiano, when he left about $156million in bank, N25billion cash and N25billion in local investment for his successor.
Obi, who made the clarifications in a chat with journalists on Wednesday, in Abuja, asked Governor Obiano to join him in Church and swear an oath on the N7billion controversy declaring that he has never supported any candidate for personal benefits.
“I can prove it with every clear documented evidence that when I left office, I left over N25billion in local investment for Anambra State. I left over N25 billion in cash in the bank. I also left $156 million in the bank in Nigeria. Do you think anyone can leave such money and go to beg the person he is handing over to give him N7 billion when I left over N75 billion?” he queried.
“I would have taken the N7billion first, then give them the balance and I will still be in good shape. Let me use the dollar as example. Nobody has ever left $1 in any state in Nigeria. I left $156 million. About $30million alone is over N7billion. If I had taken chances and left $120million, I will still be a champion. So why will I leave that one and go begging for peanut?
“Why would I need the money and then go to beg the person I handed over to give me N7billion? I would have taken it. Let us be rational about all these.
“What is the idea behind this? It is sheer madness for anybody to do it. Not even in a family business, I cannot leave money and then go back to beg my brother talk less of handing over to somebody who is not my brother and who can changetomorrow.
“So, it is sheer blackmail, I have never and I am a Christian. I am not supposed to swear but I can put my hand in any form of oath to say I have never discussed with anybody to be paid any amount. Let Obiano himself come, let us go before hierarchy of our church or anything to swear. I have never done that and I will never do it.
“At this stage of my life, I cannot support anybody’s political aspiration for personal benefits. I have passed that stage. God has been very gracious to me. I did not go into politics in need. I was already a director in three financial institutions, a director in four other major companies out of which it was by the virtue of my investment I was running a successful family business.
“If anything, going into politics made me poorer but I won’t question anything because that is where God wants me to be. Whatever happens to me is God’s design and I respect that. For me, all I want is for us to have a better society; caring for the poor, caring for the people.”
