Ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi
A Port Harcourt-based anti-corruption network, otherwise known as Integrity Group has written President Muhammadu Buhari demanding the withdrawal of ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi as a ministerial nominee on the ground that he is currently being investigated for corrupt acts while he was governor of Rivers State.
The group in an open letter with reference number (Ref: IG/AC/VOL./088) to President Buhari also rejected Amaechi’s nomination on the ground of criminal breach of trust, unlawful enrichment and conversion of over N70 billion of Rivers State funds.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Director, Media and Publicity of the Group, Livingstone Wechie, warned that Amaechi’s appointment will dent President Buhari’s proclaimed zero-tolerance to corruption.
He said: “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) respectively over a petition we wrote and also published accordingly on both local and national media”.
If Chibuike Rotimi is either nominated or appointed whether as minister or in any other capacity in your government, it will not only question the credibility and integrity of your anti-corruption crusade, or cast serious doubts in this regard; including your administration before Nigerians and indeed the international community which is following up this matter. It will be likened in the similitude to giving cover to a most wanted criminal hiding under your wings with impunity”, the group stated in the open letter to President Buhari.
“It further reminded the President on his resolve to fight corruption at all levels and ensure that all corrupt persons are not only brought to justice but loots recovered from them.
“This is as demonstrated in your new philosophy now included in our lexicon; I belong to nobody as well as the change mantra of your administration”, it noted.
The group in the letter alleged that Amaechi sold Rivers State Power projects and converted proceeds amounting to $302 million; unlawfully payed and converted N4.6 billion to Clinoriv Specialist Hospital and Leisure Limited and illegal payment of N1.5 billion to Messrs Collect Nigeria Limited amidst a strong protest letter from the Rivers state Board of Internal Revenue Services.
It could be recalled that the Justice Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Enquiry was set up by the Rivers State government to investigate the sales of the state assets under the Amaechi administration.
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