PANDORA PAPERS: Ogun Gov, Abiodun, allegedly enmeshed in offshore money laundering

The latest investigative report published by the Pandora Papers has revealed that the current Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, is involved in offshore money laundering in contravention of the Code of Conduct Bureau extant laws.

This allegation was published by Premium Times on Friday in collaboration with UK-based Finance Uncovered within the larger Pandora Papers Investigation coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, ICIJ.

Governor Abiodun was alleged to be “director of at least two offshore companies while also operating a foreign account in clear contravention of extant laws.”

While claiming that the Governor “is also the ultimate beneficial owner of the companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands,” the report further detailed that Abiodun “failed to declare the companies and whatever assets they hold in his asset declaration filings with the Code of Conduct Bureau.”

It further revealed the name of the company stating, “Mr Abiodun is the sole director and beneficial owner of Marlowes Trading Corporation, a company operating under the laws of the British Virgin Island.

“The governor equally owns and failed to declare Heyden Petroleum Limited, another BVI company registered offshore.

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“Neither of the two companies was made public in the asset declaration form by Mr Abiodun upon assumption of office as Ogun State governor in 2019, in clear contravention of the provisions of the constitution.”

In order to seek clarification, the Pandora Papers reached out to the Governor but “for many weeks, Mr Abiodun declined to comment on the findings. Messages and emails sent to his numerous emails and phone numbers were not responded to. Messages sent to his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, were also not replied.”

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