Press Statement
…Says It’s Vindicated By Bancorp Bank Revelations Of Amaechi’s N80b Loot In US, Switzerland Banks
The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, says the recent claim by the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, that he left behind as balances in the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) account with some banks in the State a total ofN7.5billion does not go down well with the Party, as there was no such amount in the State treasury on assumption of office by the current administration of Governor Wike on May 29, 2015.
The PDP describes Amaechi’s claim as false, unfounded and indefensible, pointing out flaws, inconsistency and uncertainty in the former Governor’s statement where he said he left a total of N7.5billion “but by the time you pull all these (accounts) together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of eight to ten billion naira left for the Wike administration”.
The Party reiterates its position that the former governor stole billions of Dollars and looted assets belonging to the State, some of which he used in funding the activities of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and also lodged in several of his private foreign accounts.
Supporting its argument, the Party calls the attention of the public to the recent revelation by the Bancorp Bank, Minnesota, United States, in which it has communicated to the Nigerian Government an alleged $757 million Dollars (N80 Billion) domiciled in an account in Amaechi’s name by one of Nigerians banks, explaining that the Minnesota bank intends to return Rotimi Amaechi’s loot, which was part of the stolen funds by the former Governor, who in the letter is described as the most corrupt Nigerian Governor.
The Bancorp Bank letter to President Buhari stated that the said transfer to both banks in Minnesota and Switzerland were for the purchase of security Helicopters, spraying of Mosquito insecticides and for the purchase of a residence for Mr. Rotimi Amaechi in America.
Not done with the above instances, the PDP further explained that Rivers State was bankrupt under Amaechi, even when he was receiving about Six billion Naira monthly as IGR, demanding answers from Amaechi on why he could not pay Civil servants, Pensioners, TIMARIV workers, Students’ Scholarship, Contractors, Teachers at the Nne Krubo Model Secondary School, Eleme among others, for several months when he still had the said amount he claimed he left in the State’s treasury.
It is on record that the former Governor admitted that Rivers State was broke and that “there was nothing for Wike to work with because the State was broke”.
Expressing concern why the long delay in making his claim public, the PDP challenges the former Governor to substantiate his claims and to a public debate if he would be taken seriously.
The PDP therefore, calls on the public not to believe the concocted and fallacious claims of former Governor Amaechi, as there was no such amount left behind by his administration that even deliberately refused to collaborate or have an interface with the May 29 Transition Committee on Governor Nyesom Wike, adding that there are enough evidence on several corrupt actions and the monumental looting carried out by Chibuike Amaechi and his aides, which must be recovered.
Signed:
Jerry Needam
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity
To the Rivers PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah
Friday, August 21, 2015
