The
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday denied links to
the more than N13 billion recovered from an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, acting on a tip-off on Wednesday, found
$43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 hidden inside an apartment at Osborne
Towers, Ikoyi.
The recoveries were valued at N13 billion based
on prevailing exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Mr. Amaechi, who is the immediate past governor
of Rivers State, slammed his successor, Nyesom Wike, for linking him to the
money.
Mr. Wike accused Mr. Amaechi of being the owner
of the N13 billion, which was recovered in different currencies by the
anti-graft EFCC on Wednesday, saying the money should be returned to
Rivers State coffers.
“We have facts to prove that the said money
belongs to the Rivers State Government,” Mr. Wike told reporters in
Port-Harcourt Friday, and gave the Buhari administration “seven days to
return or money” or face “legal action.”
“We need that money for projects,” Mr. Wike
said.
The governor made the claims after the National Intelligence
Agency, NIA, claimed ownership of the funds.
Mr.
Wike’s comments prompted Mr. Amaechi to issue another press statement on the
controversy.
The minister first denied any connection to the
recovered money after speculation in the social media that the money belonged
to him.
His spokesman, David Iyofor, described Mr.
Wike’s claims as “malicious, frivolous and another failed attempt to divert attention
from the mess he has created in Rivers State.”
“For clarity and emphasis, Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi is not the owner of the $43million and the Ikoyi apartment in which the
money was recovered from. Amaechi has no business, link or connection to the money
or property. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi does not know who owns the money or Ikoyi
apartment.”
“Wike’s malicious allegation of corruption
against Amaechi in the sale of the Gas Turbines is not new.
“This false claim has been punctured repeatedly
with facts and evidence of the transfer payments for the power plants into
Rivers State government accounts by Sahara Energy.
“The records of how the funds were spent and
what it was spent on are in the records of the State government. Amaechi
has absolutely no business or any interest whatsoever in Sahara Energy.
“The company was already a thriving business
concern before Amaechi’s emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2007.
“We urge all right-thinking members of the
public to completely disregard all the false, politically motivated no-proof
claims by Nyesom Wike and his minions as it concerns Amaechi and the $43million
and Ikoyi property,” he said.
Mr. Amaechi challenged Mr. Wike to proceed to
court and present any evidence that could prove his ownership of the funds.
“Yet again, we challenge Wike to charge Amaechi
to court if he has any shred of evidence that the money belongs to Rivers State
and was kept in the Ikoyi apartment by Amaechi.
-Premium Times
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