Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, has advised a former governorship aspirant in the state, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, as well as his two sons to return to Nigeria to face the allegations of fraud leveled against them or face repatriation.
The ex-Minister of state for Defence, who is a citizen of the United States, has since the defeat of former President, Goodluck Jonathan in the last election, relocated to the United States, where he is currently studying History at Oglethorpe University in Georgia. His sons are also in that country presently.
While Obanikoro has been accused of helping the then candidate, Ayodele Fayose, to rig the June 21, 2014 election, his sons, Gbolahan and Babajide, are said to be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly receiving N4.75bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria Impress Account of the Office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.
Obanikoro has, however, issued a statement debunking the allegations leveled against him and his sons.
But Igbokwe stated that the matter was such a serious one that the Obanikoros cannot just rely on issuing a statement from the US. He stressed that they should return to Nigeria to clear their names.
He reminded them that Nigeria had an extradition treaty with Washington, adding that President Barrack Obama had even promised to assist Nigeria in fighting corruption.
He, therefore, expressed optimism that should the Obanikoros fail to come back of their own volition, the US government could repatriate them, warning that it was better for them to honourably come back to Nigeria than be disgraced.
According to Igbokwe, “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.”
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