By Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Former Governor of Rivers state, Chibuike
Amaechi, has said he would not appear
before the judicial commission of inquiry set
up by his successor, Nyesom Wike, to probe
the sale of valued assets of the state and
other matters during his tenure because the
commission was illegal.
This came as the Deputy Speaker during his
administration, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, said Wike
is justified to probe Amaechi’s
administration, insisting that the former
governor should appear before the Justice
George Omereji Judicial Commission of
Inquiry to give account of his stewardship.
Addressing his supporters in Port Harcourt
yesterday, Amaechi said he would only
appear before the commission of inquiry
when Wike complies with the law.
His words: “Why I don't want to appear
before panel? The panel is illegal. There is a
law on how to set an administrative panel.
Nyesom Wike has not complied with the law.
When he complies with the law, I will appear
to defend myself. He has not complied with
the law. That is one.
“Secondly, the rule of natural justice and fair
hearing is not adhered to. You sit down and
you tell a man, ‘go and find him guilty
openly. He is guilty; go and investigate him’.
Who is that man to investigate me when you
had already told him what to do?
“In accordance with the rule of natural
justice and fairness, you didn't call a
company or somebody who is independent
and say go and investigate Amaechi's
government. What you say to him is to go
and find him guilty and you say I should
appear. No, I will go to court.”
While calling on his supporters to pray,
Amaechi said, “Let us keep our fingers
crossed and pray. I don't know how many
of you are praying. In 2007, you remember
what I told you people? I said I fasted for 10
months and I cried to God.
“Nyesom Wike was not afraid of God in the
past; he never went to church. As my Chief
of Staff, he used to wear a cloth and he will
say he is a Muslim. Today, he is going on
bended knees to the same God we worship.
“Don't take God for granted, because if we
don't go back to God to remind Him, God
may answer his prayer. So, we must go back
to remind God that that man has taken souls
and souls of many people. My own relation
in Ubima was killed in front of his father’s
gate at Rumueprikom.
“We are asking the Federal Government to
investigate; we have written asking for
investigation. Nothing has happened yet. We
hope that the president will call on the
Inspector General of Police to investigate
what happened with his policemen. We
need the IGP to investigate; we need the
president to call for the investigation so that
people don't do things with impunity,” he
added.
Amaechi debunked rumours that he had
travelled to London on account of President
Muhammadu Buhari’s recent appointments
and said he was still part of the present
federal government.
He reiterated that the All progressives
Congress (APC) was in court to challenge the
result of elections in the state and said the
party was hopeful of obtaining justice from
the tribunal.
He said, “We have gone to court and we are
seeking in court that let justice be done. We
are watching the court to see how they will
define what justice is. We think that it was
injustice to use police, army and SSS men,
INEC and militants to hijack results. We think
that it is only the judicial system that will
address all these things that will nip violence
in the bud. We believe that we were unfairly
treated by the last government and that if
the court sees the evidence that we are
bringing before them, then they should be
able to do justice to our case. That is the
case before the court and we pray that the
God we worship will give us justice.
“I have been listening while in Abuja how
Nyesom Wike is accusing me of corruption
and I laugh. Even Nyesom Wike knows that I
don’t like money. He has told me on several
occasions that: Oga, we will not run this
election without money and that it is not by
the number roads and schools we construct
that will make us win election. How
suddenly did I change from that man that I
used to be to become a thief?
“Wike knows that I don’t fight shy. The
pressure Wike is putting on us is the
pressure of let somebody call us together
for a meeting, reconcile and we withdraw
our case in court. I, Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi, even if Peterside withdraws, the
party (APC) has the right to go to court
because the law of Nigeria says there is no
independent candidate. So, it is not
Peterside that ran election; it is the party
that ran election. So, even if Peterside
withdraws, APC will carry the case to
Supreme Court.”
Meanwhile, Hon. Kwanee, has said Wike is
justified to probe the administration of
Amaechi, adding that the former governor
should appear before the Omereji Judicial
Commission of Inquiry.
Kwanee, who served as deputy speaker
under Amaechi’s administration, said there
was nothing wrong for a former public
office holder to account for what he did
when in office, adding that the on-going
investigation by the commission was in
tandem with the grand norms of modern
society.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt
yesterday, the former lawmaker expressed
shock that the N4billion Central Bank Of
Nigeria (CBN) loan meant for cooperative
societies to improve food production in the
state was diverted for political reasons.
Kwanee disclosed that the assembly had
invited the former Commissioner for
Agriculture, Emmah Chindah, to appear
before it to explain how the money was
utilised.
“Unfortunately, everything happened so fast
and we could not record any tangible thing
from it because government was winding
off. I think that people should account for
their actions.
“It is important to note that as public
officers, every money in our custody is held
for trust and must be accounted for. That is
why it will not be out of place for the former
governor (Amaechi) to appear before the
commission and testify for his eight years as
governor of Rivers state”, he added. Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/amaechi-why-i-will-not-appear-before-wike-s-commission/218863/

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