Ajimobi’s wife denies money laundering arrest in London

October 31, 2012 by Akinwale Aboluwade, Ibadan 

 

Wife of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Florence
| credits: www.mrsfajimobi.com

Wife of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Florence, has denied reports of her arrest by the Metropolitan Police in London.

Speaking with journalists in a telephone interview on Tuesday, the governor’s wife described the news of her arrest as the handiwork of the opposition trying to discredit the Ajimobi-led administration in the state.

An evening newspaper had, on Tuesday in its online version, published a report entitled ‘Anxiety over Florence Ajimobi’s alleged arrest in UK.’ An online agency, Newsleak, also claimed that the wife of the governor had been arrested in London for money laundering.

Asked if she was invited by the police since her arrival in London, she said, “No, not at all. I came back with my daughter on Sunday. Now, I am getting ready to come back home. I have not been invited by the police and I don’t know what all this is about.”

On the reason for her latest trip abroad, she said she took her 14-year-old daughter back to school after her holiday.

She said, “I have a 14-year-old daughter who has been here since 2007. She came to Nigeria for two weeks; we left Nigeria on Sunday morning. That is my mission here.

“I read the report here in England. I was shocked. I read it but there is no iota of truth in everything they wrote. I’m sure it is the work of the  opposition and I am surprised that some people can descend so low to write falsehood.

“I am expected back in the country tomorrow (today) morning.”

Asked to confirm the allegation that she had since the inception of the administration travelled for 52 times, she simply said, “It then means I am not living in Nigeria. Maybe, when I travel back, I will show you my passport to count how many times I have travelled.

“I want you to deal with facts. If you look at my passport since 2007 and compare the way I travelled then with the way I travel now, you will discover that I travel less now.

“My daughter is complaining that I am not regular here. I make her come to Nigeria more because I can’t afford to spend 10 days or more over here.”

Meanwhile, the governor has instituted a N1bn suit against the Independent Communications Network Limited, publishers of PM News for the report.

One of the governor’s aide, who preferred anonymity, said, “So far the governor has spent 68 weeks. How do you reconcile the claim that the First Lady has travelled 52 times since the inception of this administration? Does it mean that she travels every week?”

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 31 October 2012.