Senator denies FG’s allegations of illegal asset acquisition, honour panel’s invitation

Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP Delta North) has denied allegations of illegal asset acquisition, which forms the basis of a fresh warrant of arrest secured against him by the Federal Government.

The reaction came in a statement issued by Mr Philip Elueme, Secretary-General of the Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Campaign Organisation, on Friday.

The warrant was issued by a Wuse Zone 2 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, at the instance of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.

The panel is accusing Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North in the Senate, of fraudulent acquisition of property and embezzlement of contract sum to the tune of N3.48 billion, among others.

It said the decision to seek the warrant followed the lawmaker’s “refusal” to honour its invitation for questioning on the allegation by the panel.

But Elueme dismissed the “allegations as spurious and contrived machinations” of one of Nwaoboshi’s political opponents in Delta North.

“On the face of the allegations, Sen. Nwaoboshi and the campaign organisation would not have been perturbed.

“But the fact that the Judiciary is involved, especially with the purported issuance of warrant of arrest by a court, we are constrained to state that we are alarmed.

“Nwaoboshi is unaware of such allegations against him, and was never invited by the panel to any session on such matters as conspiracy, diversion of public funds and official corruption, alleged against him by the Panel,” he said.

Elueme said the political opponent, whom he did not identify, had boasted at different fora that he would undo the senator and ensure he did not participate in the 2019 election as a candidate.

Describing the unnamed opponent as an election-season politician, Elueme reminded him that what they currently had in Delta was a reformed PDP that emphasises integrity and commitment.

“We advise that as an aspirant, rather than pay ‘agents’ to cast smudge on Nwaoboshi, the politician should market himself to PDP delegates, who will decide who the candidate of the party for Delta North Senatorial District will be in the 2019 general elections.

“He should grow up and embrace the new spirit of PDP where nobility and responsibility and other desirable virtues have eclipsed blackmail and the like, which have become unfashionable and highly abhorred in the party,” he added.

Meanwhile, reacting to the lawmker’s allegation of political witchhunt, spokesperson of the panel, Lucie-Ann Laha, advised Nwaoboshi to come forward and aid the panel in its investigation rather than politicise the matter.

“The senator should be reminded that members of the panel are public servants, not politicians. Our operations are purely professional.

“We are acting based on information provided by a whistleblower whose identity I don’t know.

“He cannot say we didn’t invite him because our operatives travelled all the way from Abuja to his house in Asaba to serve him letters of invitation.

“He even threatened to shoot them if they didn’t leave his house.

“All we are asking is for him to come forward and dispel the allegations against him, and if it turns out that we are wrong, we will apologise to him,” she said.