Obol Okoi Obono Obla Exposes the Lies and Political Mischief Behind the ₦208m Fraud Allegation
It is laughable that those who planted the story in Summit Post titled Groups Demand Gov Otu’s Aide Resignation Over Diamond Bank ₦208m Fraud Scandal which is obviously a calculated gambit, a red herring, or at best a misdirected smear do not know what they are talking about or are simply being mischievous. Their intentions, as can be inferred from the circumstances, are to misinform the public and stir up hatred and ill feelings against their target, Honourable Oden Ewa.
This is evident upon reading their diatribe and their call for the resignation of Hon. Oden Ewa from the cabinet of the Cross River State Government. They have manipulated, misrepresented, and distorted the facts of a civil judgment entered by the High Court over a transaction that Hon. Oden Ewa’s company entered into with the defunct Diamond Bank as far back as 2010—at a time when he was neither a public servant nor an appointee of the Cross River State Government. Hon. Oden Ewa was appointed in 2023, thirteen years after his company entered into the said commercial transaction.
Therefore, whatever his company did in exercise of its corporate personality cannot be civilly or criminally ascribed to Hon. Oden Ewa as a person, nor can it be used retrospectively against him. The whole essence of company law is that a company has a distinct corporate personality, separate from its shareholders or directors.
The promoters of this vile, politically motivated smear campaign should know that as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fifth Schedule, Part I).
The Constitution clearly states that a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities. It also provides that actions taken prior to assuming public office, especially in a private capacity, do not constitute a breach unless they directly influence his conduct in office.
Therefore, their call for his resignation is bunkum, balderdash, frivolous, untenable, and utterly nonsensical.
Obol Okoi Obono-Obla
