2023 Elections: EFCC Arrested Peter Obi’s Son for Fraud? Fact Emerges

2023 Elections: EFCC Arrested Peter Obi’s Son for Fraud? Fact Emerges

  • A Facebook user, Shamsuddeen Lawal Hussain, claimed that the son of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was in the EFCC net for fraud
  • Hussain made the comment in reaction to a post by the EFCC indicating that one Tope Peter Obi was convicted and sentenced for fraud
  • Checks by Legit.ng have, however, shown that the claim is false as "Tope Peter Obi" is not the son of the LP flagbearer

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Shamsuddeen Lawal Hussain, a Facebook user, claimed in a Facebook comment sighted by Legit.ng that a son of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was in the EFCC net.

"Peter Obi's son in EFCC net," he posted on Facebook.
Tope Peter Obi/EFCC/Labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi
Tope Peter Obi, a young man sentenced and convicted for fraud, is not the son of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Photo credit: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Source: Facebook

Hussain was responding to a post by Nigeria's anti-graft commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with the title, Court Jails Obi One Year For Possession of Fraudulent Documents.

Read also

Court remands popular party's chairman in prison over forgery of supreme court judgment

In the post, the EFCC said Justice O.A. Okunuga of the Lagos state high court sitting in Ikeja, on Tuesday, November 22, convicted and sentenced one Tope Peter Obi to one-year imprisonment for possession of fraudulent documents.

PAY ATTENTION: Subscribe to Digital Talk newsletter to receive must-know business stories and succeed BIG!

Obi was arraigned by the EFCC on a one-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents, an offence contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

He pleaded "guilty" to the one-count charge.

Justice Okunuga subsequently sentenced Obi to one-year imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N500,000.

Is Tope Peter Obi the son of Labour Party flagbearer Peter Obi?

While the convict shares a similar name with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, there is no evidence indicating that he is the son of the former Anambra governor.

Read also

2023 presidency: "To mention Obi’s name is a disgrace to me", Tinubu says

Legit.ng checked through the full statement released by the EFCC on its website and social media pages. The anti-graft agency did not state anywhere that the convict has any relationship with the Labour Party flagbearer.

Daily Trust also confirmed in its own checks that Tope Peter Obi is not the son of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate.

According to the newspaper, the LP presidential candidate has two children named: Gabriella Nwamaka Francis Obi and Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi.

Verdict: Peter Obi's son not convicted for fraud

The above findings show that the claim that Obi’s son was paraded is false. Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi is not the father of Tope, who was arrested and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for fraud.

The only male child of Peter Obi is Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi, not "Tope Peter Obi"

2023 presidency: Peter Obi reveals plot to clampdown on corrupt officials

Read also

2023 presidency: List of northern APC Christian leaders who have refused to endorse Peter Obi

In another report, Peter Obi has pledged to Nigerians that he will disrupt the order of failure and wickedness at the top tier of government if he emerges victorious at the 2023 presidential polls.

The Labour Party presidential candidate made this known on Friday, November 25, in response to Nigeria’s Multidimensional Poverty Index.

He said Nigerians should not live in poverty when the country makes trillions in earnings from oil revenue.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nurudeen Lawal avatar

Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature-in-English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2347057737768.