Peter Obi Under Fire For Tax Evasion, May go to Jail - FIRS

Peter Obi

The former Governor of Anambra State Chief Peter Obi has incurred the wrath of the Federal Inland Revenue Service by not paying his company tax in the fiscal year 2016. NEXT International has been given seven days to clear all unpaid revenue bills or meet the Revenue Agency in Court. 

This matching order was given at Abuja yesterday by officers of FIRS Abuja Head office . Our correspondence confirmed that NEXT International, a company owned by Peter Obi was served with a tax assessment notice since February of 2016 but the Company has refused to pay it's financial obligation to the Federal Government. It is confirmed that NEXT International was billed to pay the sum of Twenty Million Naira as Income Tax for the year 2016. The Managing Director of NEXT International confirmed to our reporter that the owner of the business, Chief Peter Obi is the one delaying the Payment of tax to the Federal Government. He alleged when probed further that Chief Obi stopped them from paying tax to the Federal Government since 2006 when he was Governor of Anambra State until now.

It was reliably confirmed by our eagle lensed reporter that Chief Peter Obi has commenced plans to bribe the Senior staff of FIRS so that they can write off the tax just like they did for him in Lagos. It is a confirmed report that Chief Obi did not pay tax in Lagos on his numerous business Interests for the eight years he was Governor of Anambra State between 2006 to 2014 March. Between 2014 and this year, NEXT International, Lagos has been close by the FIRS ten times to be specific because of non payment of long outstanding taxes to the Government.

It defiles every reasoning why Chief Peter Obi will always want to cheat the Federal Government by not paying taxes and evading payment of duties on imported goods. This Tax Evasion case about to go to Court will be the fourth time Chief Peter Obi is going to Court to defend himself against the Federal Government. Sometime last year, his business in Lagos was sealed for Tax Evasion. January this year 2017, fifty Containers of beverages belonging to Chief Peter Obi were seized at Apapa Wharf for non payment of Custom clearance duties.

The order to pay or face persecution by the Federal Inland Revenue Service is inline with the Federal Government policy of zero tolerance to corrupt practices. One wonders why NEXT International Abuja will not pay taxes when it is confirmed that the company is doing well. A look into the person of the owner of the company confirmed that Chief Peter Obi has exported his 'Stinginess' into his business thereby stunting the development and expansion of the company. Currently NEXT International Shopping Mall are in Abuja and Lagos. If Peter Obi has allowed for robust management, the company would have overtaken Shoprite.

By the time of filling this report, neither Chief Peter Obi could be reached for comment nor his Manager at the Abuja Mall