By Abiodun Sanusi
The Labour Party Campaign Council has denied allegations by singer, Seun Kuti,that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and his family do not pay tax to the Anambra State government, where the presidential hopeful was former governor.
Seun, who is a son of the late fiery Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, made the claim in the heat of the ongoing political debate between him and a fellow musician, Peter Okoye, alias Mr P of P-Square, on social media.
Kuti, in an interview with the online platform Mic On Podcast hosted by Channels TV’s Seun Okinbaloye, on Monday, had described Obi as the Internet’s favourite and a capitalist and an opportunist who can’t deliver Nigeria.
However, his remarks about Obi, angered Mr P, who took to his Twitter and Instagram handles to berate Seun and the Kuti family.
“Dude just erased his father’s history. You said only the people of Nigeria could save Nigeria. Is PO (Peter Obi) and the rest candidates not the Nigerian people? SHAME SHAME SHAME,” Mr P wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Responding in a viral video seen by our correspondent on Thursday, Mr Kuti said the LP flag-bearer and his family left Anambra State underdeveloped while investing the money made in Nigeria in Panama.
Kuti said, “Why is Obi family’s money in Panama? He said the money belongs to his family; whose family is supposed to be paying tax to Anambra State if not Obi’s?
“Obi’s family, with all their money, they’re not paying tax in Anambra State; that’s why Anambra cannot have good roads, good schools and good hospitals; because rich people in Anambra, like Obi, hide their money in Panama far away from the Nigerian government.
“If Obi loves Nigeria, why is his family hiding money away from us to tax? Panama is a tax haven any money in Panama, the Nigerian people cannot see (access) it to benefit our lives; meanwhile, he’s making his money in Nigeria, and has no business in Panama.
“How many businesses does Obi have in Panama? He makes all his money in Nigeria and hide it in Panama, but you people excuse that. Seun cannot make April Fool’s joke, but Obi can hide money in Panama.
“P-Square can play for all the presidents – Jonathan, they were there, Buhari, they were there, now it’s Obi, and they’re in. Where is the consistency? You have no consistency.
“Your boss is hiding money in Panama, he doesn’t want to be taxed. He doesn’t love this country. He should bring his money let’s tax him.
“All my money is in Nigeria; every cent. Whenever I’m done with my shows, I do tell my partners to bring my money to me and I bring everything to Nigeria.”
Reacting to the allegation in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, the Director General Peter Obi’s Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, said Kuti’s allegation was frivolous.
Osuntokun said, “I’m not aware of any such allegation. But it looks frivolous on the face of it. If he wants to be taken seriously, it (the allegation) should be taken to the Nigerian tax authorities.”
Also, the spokesperson for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yinusa Tanko, said Obi and his family had been paying their taxes
Tanko said, “I’m surprised by the comment because Seun, whom I met at the airport in Benin on our way back to the country, sounded like someone that was convinced about Obi’s candidacy.
“Also, Seun is not a revenue tax collector. However, if he’s in doubt, he could go and verify. Obi and his family have been paying their taxes, and Obi generates tax for Anambra State.”
Source: The Punch
