Alleged N96bn fraud: Wike reacts, decides on next line of action against Amaechi

Wike Amaechi

Wike and Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has reacted to Supreme Court’s judgement which ordered former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to appear before Rivers Panel set up to probe allegation of squandering N96 billion against him.

Wike had set up a seven-man panel to probe Amaechi’s eight-year tenure as Governor.

Reacting to the Supreme Court’s judgement on Friday, Wike said his government had been vindicated.

According to Wike, “If you see that report, as a Rivers man, you’ll cry.”

He said now the leaders of the state would decide what next step to take against Amaechi, saying he could do nothing himself as he did not have state executive council anymore.

“It’s not for only me. Yes, I’m a Governor, but I can’t do it alone. If the leaders of the state says, yes we must prosecute them, I have no choice; but if the leaders say otherwise, I have no choice,” Wike said.

The governor added that one the allegations against Amaechi was the alleged diversion of $50 million from Rivers State Government through Access Bank to Sahara Energy.

He said there was nothing Sahara Energy did to the Rivers State Government to warrant paying it $50 million.

Wike asked: “Where is the agreement to show we borrowed money from them? Nothing.”

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The governor said Amaechi claimed Sahara Energy bought the state’s gas turbines, asking: “Why are we paying them $50 million? Did we borrow money from them? Where is the agreement?”

Amaechi is yet to react to the Supreme Court’s judgement.

The Supreme Court had on Friday dismissed the suit by Amaechi to stop the planned probe of N96 billion fraud allegedly involving him during his tenure as Governor.

The panel probed some transactions estimated at about N96billion carried out by Rivers State Government under Amaechi.

The panel, however, announced Amaechi’s administration fraudulently sold some assets belonging to the State.

The listed valuable assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of the monorail project.

Amaechi, however, challenged the credibility of the panel.

But delivering judgment today, Justice Adamu Jauro held that Amaechi’s appeal was without merit.

The court ordered Amaechi to face the probe panel.

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