A former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi has been dragged to court over alleged sale of state assets during his tenure.
The fresh suit was filed against Amaechi, who is also a former minister of transportation, and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Tonye Cole
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, had set up a seven-man panel to probe Amaechi over the alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state’s treasury during the latter’s tenure as governor.
The listed assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the contract award for the execution of the Mono Rail Project.
The panel submitted its report in 2015, but Amaechi has since insisted that he is not guilty of fraud.
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The suit was struck out by Justice Okogbule Gbasam of the state High Court in Port Harcourt, in October 2022, after the State Attorney-General withdraw the alleged criminal charges.
This fresh suit filed against Amaechi and Cole was confirmed by the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN).
In a telephone conversation, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said, “Yes information has already been filed against them (Amaechi and Cole).”
Reacting to the development, a chieftain of the APC in Rivers, Eze Chukwuemeka, urged the judiciary to disassociate self from alleged partisan politics in the state.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, Eze said, “Plot by the Governor Wike-led state government to frame-up fresh criminal charges against former governor Chibuike Amaechi and the governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole, has been uncovered.
“The governor has directed the Chief Justice of the state to ensure that the matter is assigned to a Judge that will ensure a speedy trial and find the duo guilty in a bid to disgrace Amaechi and scuttle the chances of the APC at the polls.”
The APC chieftain further stated that the tip-off available to him, “indicates that Governor Wike is hellbent on ensuring that the APC is frustrating from featuring on the ballot in the forthcoming elections and that the judicial arm has given him an ironclad assurance to do his bidding as he considers the criminal charge as his last option opened to him to frustrate the APC at the polls.”
He added, “Wike had boasted before some allies that the AG has got enough evidence to prosecute Amaechi and Cole including copies of the receipt evidencing the alleged transaction and sale of the assets.”
While assuring the people that Amaechi and Cole would be vindicated, Eze called on officials of the state judiciary to be custodians of justice and always be wary of being inveigled into a situation in which they find themselves as partisan agents in the pursuit of a selfish private vendetta.
He assured them further that, “The ploy will hit the brick” and called on the Rivers APC to remain steadfast in the pursuit of a better life for all through a responsible government under Cole and the party.