I have no issues with my asset declaration, says Uzodinma

Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo State yesterday declared that he has no issues with his assets declaration form.

He wondered why the Special Presidential Investigative Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) was hell-bent on tarnishing his image.

The panel Chairman Okoi Obono-Obia, on Wednesday, announced that the panel was transferring cases of eight politically exposed persons to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He alleged that the eight persons, including former Senate President David Mark, Senator Hope Uzodinma and Senator Stella Odua, allegedly either acquired property beyond their legitimate earnings or suppressed facts about information in their assets declaration forms.

But Uzodinma yesterday denied the allegations, saying the release of the report was a deliberate and orchestrated attempt aimed at tarnishing his image for a pre-determined purpose.

According to a statement by the Director Media and Special Duties of Hope Uzodinma Campaign Organisation, Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba, the SPIP chief was always brandishing such a report at critical stages of the senator’s political career.

It said: “Obono-Obla engaged in a similar media trial of Senator Uzodinma shortly before the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Imo State but the result was a disaster as the senator still became the APC flag bearer.

“Now, because they are afraid that Senator Uzodinma may be considered for a ministerial appointment, they have come out with the same old story dressed in another robe with the aim of whittling down his integrity; but as always, it won’t work.”