The media has recently been flooded with reports, advertorials and all sorts about corruption in Rivers State, accusing former governor, Chibuike Amaechi of fraud, unlawful enrichment and conversion of state funds apparently in a bid to force the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari against Amaechi whose immense support and contributions towards the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last presidential elections cannot be over-emphasized.

While there has been a robust defense by the Amaechi camp on the issues raised, many opposed to the former governor mostly believed to be of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State have insisted on putting Amaechi in the spotlight with the smear of corruption.

In view of Amaechi’s achievements in Rivers State as governor, it seems awkward that people from his own state would come up with such spurious allegations, though clearly instigated by his political enemies. The expanded and reconstructed roads, flyovers and bridges, the revamped education sector which was taken over from Local Government authorities to raise the standards, the establishment of a proper Agriculture sector with the Songhai farm and other productive farms across the state, a total overhaul of the State’s healthcare sector with functional Primary health centres in all LGAs, power generation particularly the decentralization of power distribution points with the construction of various power sub-stations. All these and more they seem to have forgotten.

A man with such purpose for the growth and development of his state and people wouldn’t do a sudden 360 degrees if he had the chance to do it already within his first seven years of service or even while he served as Speaker of the State House of Assembly for two tenures.[b]

[b]His transparency was also seen in the constant stakeholders’ accountability meetings, town hall meetings where he conferred and answered questions from the people directly and in their domains, as well as acting on feedback generated from followers and supporters on social media as regards issues of the state.

Being the closest link from Rivers State to the Presidency, Amaechi who consistently spoke up and stood against injustice meted out to the state by the erstwhile Goodluck Jonathan administration should indeed be hailed and not painted as the villain. One of such injustices was the ceding of Oil Wells from Rivers State to other neighbouring states, thereby directly dwindling the resources and revenue due to the State. As chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Amaechi also stood against irregularities in governance and was never on the side of one political party against another, but for one Nigeria and a better nation; he brought the governors together and acted in one accord.

Now let’s review the allegations brought against this man, the response and why we the people and indeed the presidency should strive to be on the right path no matter how loud the opposition wails.

The desperate move by the opposition to tarnish Amaechi’s image and place him out of favour with the federal government he helped installed, pushed his accusers to draw hasty, uninformed and jaundiced conclusions.

[b]On the supposed fraudulent sale of power projects and conversion of its proceeds, the so called Integrity Group only outlined the sale and failed to do its home work on the proceeds which subsequently has since been captured in the 2014 Appropriation Law of the State as one of the sources of revenue to fund the 2014 budget. This inclusion was explained in the reply signed by former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, George Feyii and former Commissioner of Finance, Chamberlain Peterside.

It read in part “...the sale of this equity (70%) was particularly informed by the following considerations: the federal government had commenced a privatization process to unbundle the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to drive efficiency, … Need to engender efficiency in the management of the power assets so that its benefits could be felt by the generality of the people of Rivers State, … the state government does not have the requisite manpower to manage the facilities, and … the need to augment revenue in the face of dwindling federal allocation to the state.”[/b]

[b]Another unverified and distorted claim by the accusers was that funds were transferred from the power assets sale proceeds accounts with Access Bank Plc to the accounts of three private companies calling it ‘a glaring case of stealing…’ Meanwhile the response by Amaechi’s people clarifies that, “the companies that were erroneously portrayed as fronts for looting the funds were actually those that bought the US Dollars and made remittances of Naira equivalents into the Rivers State Revenue Account with Zenith Bank.”

Firstly, “Payments of the assets were made in several tranches between 2012 and 2014; All proceeds of the sale made in US Dollars were lodged in the Rivers State Power Assets Sale Account with Access Bank; the USD proceeds were sold to willing buyers at a rate higher than the prevailing CBN rates at the time, and the Naira equivalent lodged by the buyers into the Rivers state revenue account at Zenith Bank.”

The response also explained that the funds were used alongside others from other revenue sources to finance various government projects and activities and clearly attached a statement of account of the State for the relevant period as proof.[/b]

[b]Other rumours that such entities like RISONPALM, SUPABOD (now SPAR) AND OLYMPIA HOTEL (Radisson Blu Olympia) were sold by the Amaechi administration has also been debunked. These previously moribund entities were leased or concessioned but never sold, and would revert to the state government at the end of the lease period.

Also, the claim that the Amaechi administration kept mum over the failure of Clinotech Diagnostics to fulfill its part on the Public Private Partnership it signed with the Rivers State Government for the building and operation of a mega Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt is totally false.

The first blunder by the petitioners is referring to Clinotech as a separate entity from Clinoriv. The government signed a MoU with Clinotech, not Clinoriv. Clinoriv was only coined to reflect the joint venture. The second mistake was claiming that the former governor awarded a fresh contract to Clinotech on the same project. This is wrong as the contract was not awarded twice.

The State Executive Council simply suspended the 60% to 40% joint venture between Clinotech and the State Government and awarded it as a turnkey contract to Clinotech with direct (100%) funding by the government. However, on Clinotech’s failure to keep the agreement, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, then Governor reported Harrison Ofiyai, CEO of Clinotech to the then Commissioner of Police alleging a case of breach of contract and fraudulent diversion of funds. The police conducted an investigation on the matter and came up with a report.

Following the failure of the project, the Rivers State Government according to the response by Amaechi’s camp “executed a memo of Agreement on May 9, 2014 with VMS-WILLEMEN consortium for the completion of the Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte Hospital on a build, Operate and Transfer basis.”

On the third allegation of unlawful enrichment of Messers Collect (Nig) Limited, it is now clear that the tenure of Skye bank PLC as revenue consultant ended in December 2014 and Collect Solutions Limited was appointed as the new consultants with a mandate to further increase the monthly revenue from N7.5b monthly where Skye Bank got it to from the average of N2.5b when Amaechi became governor.

According to the response by the Amaechi team, “Appointment of revenue consultants is within the powers of the state government and Amaechi’s administration only exercised that power in appointing Collect solutions Limited. Having been duly appointed, the consulting company is entitled to its remuneration.”[/b]

Those petitioners and their sponsors trying to tarnish Amaechi’s image should have a rethink and desist from the lowly act, but rather hold the current Wike administration in Rivers State to account. Yes, for Governor Wike to account for all the billions of naira collected by his administration since May 29, including the N30billion loan he collected within 30 days in office. For Wike to account to the people of Rivers State just like former governor Amaechi did when he was in office. We must promote excellence in Rivers State typified by former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. This distraction of trying to pull Amaechi down and erase his lasting laudable legacies in Rivers State cannot and will not fly.

––Maxi Gogo is the Secretary-General of Rivers Peoples’ Forum(RPF). Tweet at her @RiversForum

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/again-rotimi-amaechi-in-the-spotlight/218095/

OK..

Ok too

waooo, the best looter in the history of Rivers...

Kudos sir!

Life imprisonment await corrupt politicians like you.

All I know is that Amaechi is air,u can't cage him

But this piece is too long,couldn't read half

Sponsored......piece of Crap


Amaechi is a Crook, QED

YaYY! The keep's at 14! The monkey is finally out to dance! Lol

Firefire:
waooo, the best criminal in the history of Rivers...

That which u attached doesn't mean a thing. He was only trying to pass a message to Nigerians...that for as long as we keep hailing the 'polithiefians', they ll keep embezzling our funds. We must let them know apart from the penalty which might be meted out on them by the law, there are graver ones to face from the pple they are representing.

midolian:
That which u attached doesn't mean a thing. He was only trying to pass a message to Nigerians...that for as long as we keep hailing the 'polithiefians', they ll keep embezzling our funds.

We steal... Is Amaechi referring to you inclusive ?

Rotimi Amaechi is a professional looter...

I have this for all the looters of our common wealth... You can only run, you cannot hide, and your sins shall find you out.

Chai!!! Thisday news paper can lie?? How much did Amaechi pay you guys??

Firefire:


We steal... Is Amaechi referring to you inclusive ?

Rotimi Amaechi is a professional looter...

I have this for all the looters of our common wealth... You can only run, you cannot hide, and your sins shall find you out.

We in that context means "Our leaders"..he wasn't really trying to say "he", Ameachi. I am not saying he is completely clean o! But the Amaechi isn't as corrupt as that Wicked wike wants the world to think him.

This is what wike will do till the end of his tenure. Take and squander loans while he hides under the shades of the malicious probe.

midolian:
We in that context means "Our leaders"..he wasn't really trying to say "he", Ameachi. I am not saying he is completely clean o! But the Amaechi isn't as corrupt as that Wicked wike wants the world to think him.

This is what wike will do till the end of his tenure. Take and squander loans while he hides under the shades of the malicious probe.

Your submission is filled with sentiment already.


Buhari is setting up a special criminal court for our treasury looters, let the court decide.

drberry:
Chai!!! Thisday news paper can lie?? How much did Amaechi pay you guys??

they weren't paid nada! Counter the thread with facts or remain silent!

[size=15pt]#BUHARIphobia, #APCpropaganda, My peopel know that i don't like money - Ameachi [/size]

Once upon a time he was hailed and praised and now the same people are vilifying him.
Classical irony!
Let's see if the Wike of today won't suffer similar fate or worse?
Dude has started borrowing morning to tar roads and other infrastructures and I am sure those praise singers now will come out tomorrow and say he stole the money.
The problem of Nigeria is Nigerians with their double standards.
If he is corrupt, Wike should probe him. Simple as eating akara

Firefire:


[s]Your submission is filled with sentiment already.[/s]


Buhari is setting up a special criminal court for our treasury looters, let the court decide.

E0D!

Okay

Amaechi can't even swear in front of the gods he neva stole a dime and stashed illegal gotten wealth abroad....He knows himself a jumbo sized thief. Every thief whether present or past shud be brought to book.

Time will tell.

Firefire:
waooo, the best looter in the history of Rivers...

Kudos sir!

Life imprisonment await corrupt politicians like you.

your attached picture doesn't make sense. you should be ashamed of yourself for not holding your leaders accountable especially ex president GEJ.

Beremx:
your attached picture doesn't make sense. you should be ashamed of yourself for not holding your leaders accountable especially ex president GEJ.

Long time madam, how are you ?

Our political leaders across board should be held accountable for the state of Nigeria. (1999 - 2015)

The level of corruption, looting and abuse of power is inherent in them all, without any exemption.

My crusade remains, demonizing a single person for the evil of everyone is evil in itself.

Until we Nigerians rise to demand for the return of our looted fund and common wealth, we are still joking as a nation.

Firefire:


Long time madam, how are you ?

Our political leaders across board should be held accountable for the state of Nigeria. (1999 - 2015)

The level of corruption, looting and abuse of power is inherent in them all, without any exemption.

My crusade remains, demonizing a single person for the evil of everyone is evil in itself.

Until we Nigerians rise to demand for the return of our looted fund and common wealth, we are still joking as a nation.

That is what Amaechi was trying to tell ignorant folks like you to hold your leaders accountable,but you quoted him out of context.

If Amaechi is corrupt,let the court prove it by sending him to jail. It is not in your powers to do so.

Beremx:
That is what Amaechi was trying to tell ignorant folks like you to hold your leaders accountable,but you quoted him out of context.

If Amaechi is corrupt,let the court prove it by sending him to jail. It is not in your powers to do so.

SMH

Too early now ?

The APC yoruba muslim OP has to feed.

Your azz licking for Amaechi comes as no surprise as we know Amaechi pays you jobless opinion crafting shills to launder him from a depraved criminal traitor to sainthood


E no go work. Amaechi's primary constituents in Rivers hate him with passion.

Amaechi is no longer governor and his access to rivers funds has been cut off so it makes no sense for Buhari to retain a treacherous traitor with no political currency and who will not have access to Rivers funds other than the one he stole and stashed abroad.

Midolian stick to defending your Ooni Gbesse governor.

Monkey shill

RevDesmondJuju:


[size=18pt]Why they love Amaechi but hate Wike in Osun[/size]
Osun people have a lot to be grateful for Amaechi given Amaechi's highly misplaced priorities as to which commonwealth he is suppose to protect and oversee.

It is no news that Amaechi paid 4months backlog of owed salaries of osun state civil servants during the runup to the osun state elections in order to sway the civil servants and teachers bloc in voting Aregberascal.

Amaechi did not only stop there but also went on to fund Aregberascal's campaign which included stomach infrastructure incentives like Aregbe Odorless Fufu, Aregbe Rice and even miserly hundred naira airtime.

This is why Amaechi is so loved by them.

When it comes to Wike they see him as a thug because he will not share or allow them to partake in Rivers people's money.

Even their Governor has lamented several on his inability to manage the state without oil revenue allocation to which Osun does not Contribute a single drop. Aregbe is such a serial commenter on the oil industry that you will be forgiven if you thought Osun is a major oil producing state. Aregbe complains so much about everything from budget benchmarks to phantom missing monies that you willbe forgiven to think he is the Senate committee chairman on Petreoluem Ministry. If you doubt me just google ; "Aregbesola and Oil " and be amazed how many headines this parasite has generated just this year alone concerning oil industry. Even oil producing states like Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom governors don't lament like this alfa.


On the issue of Wike, they (osun people) know that as soon as Wike is sworn in ( this is not debatable as the man will emerge as governor come may 29) , all these free handouts will end.

This is why osunnites love Amaechi and hate Wike.

midolian:
That which u attached doesn't mean a thing. He was only trying to pass a message to Nigerians...that for as long as we keep hailing the 'polithiefians', they ll keep embezzling our funds. We must let them know apart from the penalty which might be meted out on them by the law, there are graver ones to face from the pple they are representing.

gworo seller hear this

Amaechi is a thief - Oshiomole
midolian is a gworo seller - abduljabbar4

Firefire:


[s]Long time madam, how are you ?

Our political leaders across board should be held accountable for the state of Nigeria. (1999 - 2015)

The level of corruption, looting and abuse of power is inherent in them all, without any exemption.

My crusade remains, demonizing a single person for the evil of everyone is evil in itself.

Until we Nigerians rise to demand for the return of our looted fund and common wealth, we are still joking as a nation.
[/s]

You always comment like a "market woman"!

Firefire:


SMH

Too early now ?

It's too early for you to play ignorant. That was a perfect response to you.


Good morning.

Beremx:
That is what Amaechi was trying to tell ignorant folks like you to hold your leaders accountable,but you quoted him out of context.

If Amaechi is corrupt,let the court prove it by sending him to jail. It is not in your powers to do so.

yes including the Hopless shameless Amaechi the moronn

that's why Wike the king is trying to probe his asss


btw

ira otu na agu m

iranu abacha

midolian:

[s]The media has recently been flooded with reports, advertorials and all sorts about corruption in Rivers State, accusing former governor, Chibuike Amaechi of fraud, unlawful enrichment and conversion of state funds apparently in a bid to force the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari against Amaechi whose immense support and contributions towards the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last presidential elections cannot be over-emphasized.

While there has been a robust defense by the Amaechi camp on the issues raised, many opposed to the former governor mostly believed to be of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State have insisted on putting Amaechi in the spotlight with the smear of corruption.

[b][color=#990000]In view of Amaechi’s achievements in Rivers State as governor, it seems awkward that people from his own state would come up with such spurious allegations, though clearly instigated by his political enemies. The expanded and reconstructed roads, flyovers and bridges, the revamped education sector which was taken over from Local Government authorities to raise the standards, the establishment of a proper Agriculture sector with the Songhai farm and other productive farms across the state, a total overhaul of the State’s healthcare sector with functional Primary health centres in all LGAs, power generation particularly the decentralization of power distribution points with the construction of various power sub-stations. All these and more they seem to have forgotten.[b][/col

[b]A man with such purpose for the growth and development of his state and people wouldn’t do a sudden 360 degrees if he had the chance to do it already within his first seven years of service or even while he served as Speaker of the State House of Assembly for two tenures.[b

[b]His transparency was also seen in the constant stakeholders’ accountability meetings, town hall meetings where he conferred and answered questions from the people directly and in their domains, as well as acting on feedback generated from followers and supporters on social media as regards issues of the state.[/b

[color=#990000]Being the closest link from Rivers State to the Presidency, Amaechi who consistently spoke up and stood against injustice meted out to the state by the erstwhile Goodluck Jonathan administration should indeed be hailed and not painted as the villain. One of such injustices was the ceding of Oil Wells from Rivers State to other neighbouring states, thereby directly dwindling the resources and revenue due to the State. As chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Amaechi also stood against irregularities in governance and was never on the side of one political party against another, but for one Nigeria and a better nation; he brought the governors together and acted in one accord.[/lor]

[i]Now let’s review the allegations brought against this man, the response and why we the people and indeed the presidency should strive to be on the right path no matter how loud the opposition wails.[]

[b]The desperate move by the opposition to tarnish Amaechi’s image and place him out of favour with the federal government he helped installed, pushed his accusers to draw hasty, uninformed and jaundiced conclusions.[b]

[color=#000099][b]On the supposed fraudulent sale of power projects and conversion of its proceeds, the so called Integrity Group only outlined the sale and failed to do its home work on the proceeds which subsequently has since been captured in the 2014 Appropriation Law of the State as one of the sources of revenue to fund the 2014 budget. This inclusion was explained in the reply signed by former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, George Feyii and former Commissioner of Finance, Chamberlain Peterside.

It read in part “...the sale of this equity (70%) was particularly informed by the following considerations: the federal government had commenced a privatization process to unbundle the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to drive efficiency, … Need to engender efficiency in the management of the power assets so that its benefits could be felt by the generality of the people of Rivers State, … the state government does not have the requisite manpower to manage the facilities, and … the need to augment revenue in the face of dwindling federal allocation to the state.”[olor][/b]

[color=#006600][b]Another unverified and distorted claim by the accusers was that funds were transferred from the power assets sale proceeds accounts with Access Bank Plc to the accounts of three private companies calling it ‘a glaring case of stealing…’ Meanwhile the response by Amaechi’s people clarifies that, “the companies that were erroneously portrayed as fronts for looting the funds were actually those that bought the US Dollars and made remittances of Naira equivalents into the Rivers State Revenue Account with Zenith Bank.”

Firstly, “Payments of the assets were made in several tranches between 2012 and 2014; All proceeds of the sale made in US Dollars were lodged in the Rivers State Power Assets Sale Account with Access Bank; the USD proceeds were sold to willing buyers at a rate higher than the prevailing CBN rates at the time, and the Naira equivalent lodged by the buyers into the Rivers state revenue account at Zenith Bank.”

The response also explained that the funds were used alongside others from other revenue sources to finance various government projects and activities and clearly attached a statement of account of the State for the relevant period as proof.[olor][/b]

[color=#000099][b]Other rumours that such entities like RISONPALM, SUPABOD (now SPAR) AND OLYMPIA HOTEL (Radisson Blu Olympia) were sold by the Amaechi administration has also been debunked. These previously moribund entities were leased or concessioned but never sold, and would revert to the state government at the end of the lease period.

Also, the claim that the Amaechi administration kept mum over the failure of Clinotech Diagnostics to fulfill its part on the Public Private Partnership it signed with the Rivers State Government for the building and operation of a mega Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt is totally false.

The first blunder by the petitioners is referring to Clinotech as a separate entity from Clinoriv. The government signed a MoU with Clinotech, not Clinoriv. Clinoriv was only coined to reflect the joint venture. The second mistake was claiming that the former governor awarded a fresh contract to Clinotech on the same project. This is wrong as the contract was not awarded twice.

The State Executive Council simply suspended the 60% to 40% joint venture between Clinotech and the State Government and awarded it as a turnkey contract to Clinotech with direct (100%) funding by the government. However, on Clinotech’s failure to keep the agreement, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, then Governor reported Harrison Ofiyai, CEO of Clinotech to the then Commissioner of Police alleging a case of breach of contract and fraudulent diversion of funds. The police conducted an investigation on the matter and came up with a report.

Following the failure of the project, the Rivers State Government according to the response by Amaechi’s camp “executed a memo of Agreement on May 9, 2014 with VMS-WILLEMEN consortium for the completion of the Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte Hospital on a build, Operate and Transfer basis.”

On the third allegation of unlawful enrichment of Messers Collect (Nig) Limited, it is now clear that the tenure of Skye bank PLC as revenue consultant ended in December 2014 and Collect Solutions Limited was appointed as the new consultants with a mandate to further increase the monthly revenue from N7.5b monthly where Skye Bank got it to from the average of N2.5b when Amaechi became governor.

According to the response by the Amaechi team, “Appointment of revenue consultants is within the powers of the state government and Amaechi’s administration only exercised that power in appointing Collect solutions Limited. Having been duly appointed, the consulting company is entitled to its remuneration.”[olor][/b]

[b]Those petitioners and their sponsors trying to tarnish Amaechi’s image should have a rethink and desist from the lowly act, but rather hold the current Wike administration in Rivers State to account. Yes, for Governor Wike to account for all the billions of naira collected by his administration since May 29, including the N30billion loan he collected within 30 days in office. For Wike to account to the people of Rivers State just like former governor Amaechi did when he was in office. We must promote excellence in Rivers State typified by former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. This distraction of trying to pull Amaechi down and erase his lasting laudable legacies in Rivers State cannot and will not fly.[/]

––Maxi Gogo is the Secretary-General of Rivers Peoples’ Forum(RPF). Tweet at her @RiversForum

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/again-rotimi-amaechi-in-the-spotlight/218095/

[/s]

1)Will same people writing this hogwash allow PDP leaders or Jonathan same benefit of doubt?...

2)Do we really want corruption exterminated or we want to see those we hate and detest humiliated and jailed possibly?...

3)What is Amechi afraid of...If he has not stolen, then with his party at the helm of affairs of the country, he should stop running from pillar to post...but if he's guilty as charged then no amount of epistle will save him...

4)Amechi probed his predecessors(both Omehia & Odili); so why is he afraid of same treatment...Did those people disturb our peace when he was probing them?...


The Guilty run even when no one is pursuing him