Says Amaechi’s Boast Of Becoming
A Minister Is To Glorify Corruption
Claim by the former Governor of
Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi at a function in Abuja over the weekend that
President Muhammadu Buhari is begging him to accept appointment as Minister of
Federal Republic of Nigeria or Secretary to the Government of the Federation
has been described by the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, as tantamount to glorifying corruption, and which also exposes the
President’s ‘fight against corruption’ as anti-people and targeted at only
members of the PDP.
The PDP, insisting that the
former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Amaechi, is corrupt and has raped the State
in an extreme manner, expresses reservations over the President’s stance, and
his tolerance of the APC chieftain, who has at several fora boosted that he is
a dependable ally of the President and also a prospective ministerial appointee
for either the Defence Ministry or Ministry of Petroleum.
Similarly, the Party is also
amazed at the manner Amaechi’s corrupt and fraudulent actions are continually
being celebrated by his lieutenants, the APC folks in Rivers State and Abuja.
In like manner, the PDP recounts
the illegal disbursement of Two Billion Naira Agricultural Loan, non-execution
of the contract for the construction of the Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte
Specialist Hospital, after the payment of the sum of Thirty-Nine Million and
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars, illegal withdrawal of Ninety-Six Billion Naira
from the Rivers State Reserve Fund, illegal sale of Omuku, Afam, Eleme and
Trans-Amadi Gas Turbines, as well as the sale of Olympia Hotel.
The PDP also recounted the
fraudulent practices surrounding the Mono-rail and other phony projects
abandoned in the State, after billions of naira were reportedly paid to ghost
contractors by Mr Amaechi.
Also worrisome, the PDP recalls
how under the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Davies
Ikanya, when he held sway as Commissioner for Special Duties, Billions of Naira
earmarked for the rehabilitation of Rivers indigenes, who were deported from a
neighboring country to the State were mismanaged, an incident that led to him
being disgraced from office.
The Party also challenges the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State, Mr
Dakuku Peterside, to explain what happened to billions of naira Operation Zero
Potholes, a conduit Pipe used to siphon government money, under his watch as
Commissioner for Works, during the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP
maintains that Mr Rotimi Amaechi and members of the APC are corrupt and lack
qualities to hold public office in a government that claims to be fighting
corruption and making ‘desired change’ in governance.
The PDP maintains that Amaechi’s
quest for public office is driven by corruption, wondering why Amaechi will
claim that President Buhari is begging him to take up ministerial position,
when he is yet to clear corruption allegations against him. This, according to
the Party, amounts to glorifying Amaechi and corruption, if his claim, at a
public function in Abuja that Buhari is begging him to accept a ministrial
appointment is true.
We make bold to say that under
Amaechi as Governor, corruption was legalized and institutionalized. There are
obvious evidence attesting to the validity of this position and the PDP is
fully ready to provide prove of its claims.
‘’Looking elsewhere from Mr
Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State and chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, and concentrating only on those who worked under
former President Goodluck Jonathan and members of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, in the ‘fight against corruption’ amounts to witch-hunt and selective
prosecution’’, the PDP tells President Buhari.
As a President who “belongs to
everybody and for nobody”, Nigerians would expect that you demonstrably commit
yourself to doing the right thing by not having sacred cows and allowing Mr
Rotimi Amaechi and other APC chieftains who are found to be corrupt to clear
themselves by facing investigation and prosecution by credible anti-graft
agencies, not those seeing to have compromised their actions. Doing this, will
further earn you credibility and trust.
Signed:
Jerry Needam
Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity
To Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro
Felix Obuah
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