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The protracted feud between the twin brothers, Peter and Paul Okoye, owners of the defunct P-Square group, has defiled reconciliation despite the efforts of Peter Obi, former Anambra governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in last year’s election.
According to Jude Okoye, the elder brother of the musical duo and their long-time manager, other prominent Nigerians, including the late Ifeanyi Uba, Dantata, Atiku, governors, ministers, and the king of their village, among others had unsuccessfully mediated in the dispute.
Jude Okoye denied the allegations leveled against him by Peter that he diverted P-Square’s royalties worth millions of dollars into a private account, and explained the sharing formula of the group’s income.
Speaking in an Instagram live session, he explained that P-Square’s proceeds were shared between him, Peter and Paul, adding that while he took 40 per cent, Peter and Paul took 30 per cent each.
“I went to the EFCC office with just Paul. I didn’t go with my lawyer. I gave them all the documents, an officer looked at it and asked if Peter signed. I pointed at his signature for him. I showed him the CAC certificates used in opening both Square Records and Northside Entertainment,” Jude said.
“They were like, you’re even more than P-Square. I said I don’t understand what you mean. They said, look, you’re entitled to 40 per cent shares while the duo are entitled to 30 per cent each. I said, well, I’m not supposed to say it with my mouth, you can see for yourself.”
Furthermore, he said he also presented a memorandum of understanding, MOU, to the anti-graft agency to prove that they all agreed on a sharing formula.
“They (EFCC operatives) started asking me some irritable questions like where I got the money to build my house in Ikoyi.”
He clarified that the Ikoyi house was built with the proceeds from selling his house in America and borrowing money from colleagues, adding: “I have not been with P-Square for the past eight years, since 2016.”
The manager traced the rift between the twins to 2013 and continued until the group officially split in 2016. Their efforts to reunite in 2021 failed because of the unresolved differences.