Barr. Obunike C. Ohaegbu, a member of the Peopls Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown his weight behind the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, over prosecution of PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

In a petition addressed to the Executive Chairman,  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Keyamo, who is also the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, had demanded the investigation of Alhaji Abubakar over matters of monumental corruption involving Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).

Reacting to the petition, Sir Ohaegbu, a former Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), wrote a rejoinder to the same agencies, dated January 18th, 2023,  and added two more petitions to the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Inspector General of Police, seeking also the prosecution of the APC presidential candidate, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, for offences against the code of conduct for public officers, money laundering, criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation, mass murder, conspiracy, drugs/narcotics trafficking, et al.

The petition titled “Support for the seventy-two (72) hour ultimatum to arrest/invite, interrogate and prosecute one Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and request for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr Peter Obi to be included”, reads in full:

“I write this petition in support of the petition submitted to you by one Festus Keyamo, SAN,FCIArb(UK) and I wish to adopt all the facts/requests/demands he made in the petition as mine with additional request that his request should be expanded to include the other two major candidates in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections. The Candidates to be added to your investigations are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The issues to be investigated on the additional two candidates are:

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressive Congress (APC)

• The urgent need to conduct investigation over strong allegations on his true identity and age. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about the alleged connection between 70 years old Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State and 85 years Lamidi Amoda Sangodele from Iragbiji in Osun State. Nigerians deserve to know if both are one and the same person. That would also clear some issues concerning the Primary and Secondary Schools he attended and consequentially resolve the puzzles surrounding his Schools Certificates.
• The investigation on the allegation of conviction of drug related crimes in the United States also needs to be made and Nigerians promptly informed of steps taken to investigate the allegation. The Nigerian voters deserve to know if he actually forfeited the of $460,000 to the United States of America for his convictions on Narcotics Trafficking and money laundering in the United States?
• There are photos and video evidence of money laundering with bullion van in his private home on the eve of the 2019 Presidential Election in Nigeria. What did the bullion van deliver at his residence and for what purpose?
• Compelling allegations of corruption and misappropriations of funds and conversion of properties belonging to the Lagos State Government . It is in the public domain that his current private homes, 26, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, and the Lagos State liaison house at Jose Martin Street, off Gen TY Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and the head office of the TVC at 1, Continental Way, Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos. Your investigation will disclose to Nigerians at what point the Lagos State Government was divested of her interests in the choice properties and at what terms?
• The allegation of using Alpha Beta as the SPV for Tax Consultancy while serving as the Governor of Lagos.
• The maintenance of Domiciliary Accounts while serving as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria despite the express provisions in the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. These concerns are more worrisome as there are strong allegations that the accounts through which monies were forfeited in the drug prosecution case in the USA remained active even when he was the Governor of Lagos State.

Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP)

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi served the people of Anambra State as a governor There are certain issues of concern that your agencies need to investigate on. If you had investigated them, Nigerians deserve to know the outcome of your investigations.

They are:

• Allegation of allocation of Anambra State land to a company belonging to his family, SABmiller Nigeria Ltd, the producers of hero beer and the investment of over $20m (twenty million dollars) equivalent to about N13 billion in the same company when the company allegedly had financial challenges to start productions.
• Allegations that choice lands were appropriated from the State and given to the Shoprite Conglomerates in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi because he had family investments in the company
• The allegation of laundering of N250 million in ten suitcases on October 21st, 2013, found with his driver and in his official vehicle within the premises of his private company, NEXT Company Limited in Lagos. The cash involved is over the threshold of N5 million allowed by our laws and its strict liability offence.
• The allegations of money laundering published on the PANDORA PAPERS on October 4th, 2021.
• The allegations of mass murder of 25 bodies found in Ezu River between January 19th, 2013, and January 20th, 2013, and other human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated in the State when he was the Governor using the notorious Nigerian Police Department known as SARS with office in Awkuzu, Anambra State, which has been scrapped.
• The allegations of the appropriation of the funds meant for the 21 Local Government Areas in Anambra State for eight years without proportionate investments in the various Local Governments Areas through the un-constitutional appointments of Caretakers for the Local Government in the pretense that a Court restrained the conduct of the Local Government Elections but suddenly vacated the restraint few days after his successor was elected.
  Allegation of closure of the World Bank funded Anambra State Water Board to pave way for the awards of drilling hundreds of non-functional boreholes to friends and cronies in Anambra State.
• The allegation that he remained a Director of NEXT INTERNATIONAL that was recently delisted in the UK when he was the Governor of Anambra State.

Former Federal Commissioner Public Complaints Commission [PCC], Chief Barrister Obunike C. Ohaegbu, Ksji, (Ezesinachi N’ukpor)

In addition for the reasons given by Keyamo for the need for your prompt action and prosecution where applicable, your positive response would assist in strengthening our democratic institutions like yours and also deepen our democracy.

If any issue raised above had been investigated in the past by your agency, the report should be made public while steps should be taken to ensure enforcement of our laws.

I am aware that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has consistently held that unless someone is indicted by the Courts, he cannot be disqualified from participating in any elective position I also know that we have less than five weeks to the Presidential Elections and as such, it would be practically impossible for the Supreme Court of Nigeria to make any final pronouncement on the indictment of any of the Candidates.

Therefore, I believe that demanding for the disqualification of any of the Candidates at this point could be considered show of desperation to stop a Candidate that seems to be acceptable to the Nigerian people or deliberate efforts to engage in drama meant to entertain myself or constitution of public nuisance.

However, I still support the request of the learned silk for the investigation and possible prosecution of any of the indicted candidates as a way of sanitizing our electoral system.

Finally, our human rights activists like Festus Kyamo should be commended for their courage to remain upright even when they serve in government.

I am a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and despite my belief that Mr Michael Achimugu is a comedian providing comic relief to the tensed campaigns at the moment, there is a higher duty of patriotism that selfless activists like Keyamo should be supported at all times

Ultimatum

Take notice that I support Mr Keyamo in claims that because this matter is of great national importance, I expect you to act with alacrity and a sense of duty within Seventy-Two (72) hours of the receipt of this petition”.

Take further notice “that if you fail, refuse and/or neglect to act, I shall” be filling a joinder in the proceedings that would be initiated by Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, to compel you to act.

Please, accept the assurances of my kind regards.

Sincerely yours,

Sir. Obunike C. Ohaegbu,( KSJI),
BL, LLM (London), LLM (Brussels).