It appears the founder of popular Peace Mass Transit is running away from trouble.
Dr. Samuel Maduka Onyeishi posted on his verified Facebook page something that looks like a rebuttal.
“It has come to my knowledge the there is a viral Facebook post which claimed that I said that APC should be held responsible if I die,” the billionaire businessman started, asking “why?”
Recall that his name has been trending in Enugu since yesterday after several social media accounts shared comments he made during an opening ceremony of St. Joseph School of Technology and Creative Arts (JOSTAC), Obollo Afor Nsukka.
“There was a day APC brought a heavy tax in my university, saying no should pay. The money was too much that I couldn’t pay. I thought of what to do and I cried and went straight to Bishop Godfrey Onah,” Dr Onyeishi was quoted as saying. He added that as the Bishop was praying for him, he was weeping profusely.
Hours later, the businessman took to social media to issue rebuttal. However, netizens, who expressed shock that Peace founder could deny his own words so easily, began to circulate video clip of the event where he made the comments.
In the video, Dr Maduka, speaking in Nsukka dialect, made the statement about tax and APC. He actually accused Enugu State Government of overtaxing its citizens, saying he had to openly share the experience so his people would know “should anything happens to me”.
The obvious contrast between those first comments and their the current rebuttal is hard to reconcile, with many wondering what Onyeishi’s stand really is.
He alleged that politicians were seeking to drag him into politics but they should “count me of” their game.
He further boasted of his enormous contributions in building APC during its formative years in Enugu State.
“The history of APC cannot be written in Enugu State with a page left for me”, he added.
Dr. Samuel Maduka Onyeishi (popularly known as Peace in Enugu), 63, is one of richest man in Southern Nigeria, who started in abject poverty to build one of the thriving transport businesses in Nigeria. He has since expanded into logistics, real estate, education, and shareholdings in major Nigerian companies.
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To those who understand how the influence of government could bear on businesses, Peace’s child-like denial of his own words would not look that child-like. He couldn’t afford to kick against the ruling party in his state and in the state where most of his businesses and investments are located.