Mkpoikana Udoma 16 April 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that the $43 million found in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos was proceeds from the sale of gas turbines by the immediate-past Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Addressing journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said said investigations by the state government has revealed that the money belongs to the state.
Wike gave the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to return the money to the Rivers State Government, failing which he said the state government would take legal measures to ensure that it got back its stolen resources.
According to the governor, “The money in question belongs to the former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. We want to confirm that the houses in Ikoyi also belong to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
“If you recollect in 2015, we said that gas turbines built by former Governor Peter Odili were sold to Sahara Energy, the business partners of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at $319 million.
“That money was used to sponsor the All Progressives Congress for the 2015 general elections. From the date of sale of the gas turbines to May 29, 2015, the money depleted from $319 million to $204,000. What was stashed at the Ikoyi residence was part of that fund.
“We have facts to prove that the said money belongs to the Rivers State Government. The Federal Government must return our money.”
Governor Wike said all the stories being peddled about the money belonging to the National Intelligence Agency are false and mere face saving measures by the embattled APC Federal Government.
He challenged the Federal Government to set up a panel of inquiry, which will sit publicly to investigate the money, if it doubted the claim of the Rivers State government.
“As I speak to you, the Federal Government is so embarrassed that this has happened. All the stories that the money belongs to the NIA are fake.”
The governor stated that the Rivers State government needs the money to complete an array of projects, insisting that on no account would this criminal activity be swept under the carpet.
Wike further said as long as the Federal Government continues to disturb the progress of Rivers State, God will throw the federal government into confusion.
“We are giving them seven days to return our money. Otherwise, we would take legal action to recover our money. $43million will help us complete several projects. We need that money for projects”, he said.