Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has challenged those who served in the administration of Chibuike Amaechi to present documents that there was no plan to convert the state aircraft and other valuable assets to personal possession by the former governor.
Wike alleged inordinate greed to convert state aircraft and other assets to personal possession for the reason Amaechi’s administration did not formally handover to him in 2015.
Wike stated this while briefing political stakeholders at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, on some of the state assets, including the Legacy 600 jet recovered in Munich, Germany by his administration. Wike recalled that recently some Rivers indigenes went to a radio station in Port Harcourt to challenge the state government to give account of the gas turbine, helicopter, Legacy 600 jet and Dash 8 propeller aircrafts purchased by the administration of former governor, Dr. Peter Odili.
And to allay their concern, he had to travel to Munich, Germany with some leaders of the state with the intent to recover the state Legacy 600 abandoned there since 2012 by the Amaechi-led government.
The governor alleged that the reason they took the plane to Germany was because the former governor felt that he was going to install a governor in 2015. If Dakuku (Peterside) had become governor, that would have been the end of the plane. That was just the whole essence, because he felt Dakuku must be governor and to the glory of God, he did not become, that is why the plane is coming back latest the end of March this year.”
He also accused his predecessor’s government of selling the state gas turbine without due process to their cronies and diverting the funds.
“The gas turbine was sold even without due process at the cost of $308 million. This money was paid in December 2014 when they were doing their APC national convention. I came into office on 29th May 2015, and what was left in the account was $208,000. The statement is there. How did $50 million move back to Sahara (Energy). Sahara bought the gas turbine. $50m again left our account to Sahara.”
Wike said the state government had also begun the prosecution of Saipem for alleged fraud. He stated that the Amaechi administration had awarded contract to the Italian company to build the Afam station at the cost of $130m. And despite being paid the $130 million and additional N7 billion, the company had failed to deliver the project.
