Former P-Square manager Jude Okoye has rejected allegations by his younger brother, Peter Okoye (Mr P), that he diverted more than $1.2 million in music royalties, insisting the transactions were investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and that the matter is now before the court.
In a video shared on Instagram on Sunday, Jude accused Mr P of attempting to influence public opinion while legal proceedings remain ongoing.
“You are trying to bait me. You know the court is not going to your favour. Why are you dodging to make appearance in court? For three good sittings now, you dey dodge court,” Jude said.
Addressing Mr P’s allegation that he and Paul Okoye (Rudeboy) diverted a royalty payment of about $25,000, Jude said the payment was made in line with instructions Peter gave in 2016.
According to him, records from digital distributor IROKO show that Peter requested his share of the royalties to be paid directly into his personal account, while the remaining funds belonging to Jude and Rudeboy were paid into the Northside Entertainment account.
“Peter’s money was sent to him directly… Peter knows this. This has been trashed by the EFCC. We are still in court. How do you explain this?” he said.
Jude also dismissed claims that Mr P had been removed as a signatory to the group’s bank accounts, presenting what he described as the official bank mandate to support his position.
He maintained that Peter remained a signatory to all P-Square accounts and said the same documents had already been submitted as evidence before the court.
The former manager further disputed Mr P’s claim that it took three and a half months to hand over the backend records of the group’s music catalogue, insisting the records were released within six days and that download logs showed Peter accessed them immediately.
Jude also challenged Mr P’s assertion that he only recently began receiving royalty payments in US dollars, saying available payment records indicate the singer had been paid in dollars since 2012.
Rejecting allegations that more than $1.2 million in royalties had been diverted, Jude insisted that all payments were properly documented and distributed in accordance with existing agreements.
He also revealed the personal toll of the ongoing legal battle, saying his bank account has remained frozen for over two years, preventing him from travelling.
“They’ve frozen my account for over two years. For over two years, I can’t travel,” he said.
Jude reiterated that he would not discuss issues currently before the court beyond responding to what he described as “false narratives” circulating on social media, insisting the judicial process should be allowed to determine the matter.
