APC chieftain in Rivers warns against Amaechi candidacy over alleged N96bn fraud case

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Sir Ebowei Gboru, has warned the party against giving its presidential ticket to Transport Minister Rotimi Ameachi over his alleged unresolved N96B fraud case.

The case allegedly involves the minister’s activities and the controversial sale of government assets when he was the Governor of Rivers State.

Since the completion of his eight-year tenure in 2015, Amaechi is reportedly locked in a drawn-out court battle with the Rivers State Government to stop the probe into the alleged sales of valued assets and subsequent withdrawal of N96B from the state coffers.

Some of the assets include the 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 failed monorail project that proved a low point of the Amaechi administration.

According to Gboru, the APC risks undermining its anti-corruption stance if Ameachi, in spite of his court trials and ‘corruption baggage’, is allowed to emerge as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.

He said, “As a party that has repeatedly told Nigerians that we are against corruption and determined to restore probity and transparency to public service, it would amount to a needless own-goal to give our ticket to Mr. Rotimi Amaechi who is neck-deep in a series of indicting corruption cases.”

“Since he left office as Governor in 2015, the Rivers State Government has uncovered questionable sales of government assets and suspicious withdrawals up to the tune of N96B.”

“Mr. Amaechi has been invited to explain these controversial deals, but instead of seizing the opportunity to demonstrate his innocence, he has gone to court to halt investigations and protect himself from the searchlight of the investigating commission and agencies.”

“There’s no telling what the Supreme court would say about his attempt to hide from accountability. However, whichever way the Supreme Court judgement expected in May goes, I think it’s clear that the party cannot make a convincing case to Nigerians on fighting corruption if our party is led by a man with such heavy corruption baggage.”

“We are already facing serious questions from Nigerians over the pardoning of some ex-Governors who were indicted by the courts. Following that with the selection of Amaechi as our 2023 candidate will amount to self-immolation and completely destroy our credibility before Nigerians and the international community,” he said.

The Supreme Court will deliver judgement on Amaechi’s suit seeking to halt the probe into his N96B fraud allegations next month.

The Minister had approached the Supreme Court following previous unsuccessful attempts to halt the investigations at the High Court and Appeals Court.