Amaechi Opens Up On Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala

Who and what could have made $5billion disappear from the nation’s Excess Crude Account (ECA)? This was the challenge the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Amaechi, threw at the anti-graft agencies on Saturday in Sokoto.

He made startling revelations while declaring the second annual retreat of the state chief executives open. The River State governor said the Excess Crude Account stood at $9billion in January but today it has shrinked to a meagre $4billion.

Amaechi revealed that, “The account belongs to Federal, States and Local Governments. Today it is $4billion. We don’t know who took $5billion.”

President Goodluck Jonathan, who was expected to deliver the key note address at the retreat, was absent. He also did not send any representative. Also absent were members of the Governor Jonah Jang-led faction of the forum, which enjoys the backing of the Presidency.

Amaechi said it was convenient for the anti-graft agencies to look the other way now on the matter because of the apparent involvement of the Federal Government whereas the same agencies, according to him, would have waded in if any of the state or local governments were involved in a similar financial irregularity.

In his words: “Today the EFCC is either in Jigawa or in Kano because they disagree with the President. What about NNPC? What about the Ministry of Niger Delta and the Ministry of Works?

“The whole governors put together we receive 26 per cent from the revenue of the Federation. The Federal Government gets 52 per cent. And with that 52 per cent, nobody goes after the Federal Government to say ‘how did you spend it’?

“And then you go after those who got 26 per cent. Even if you recover all the 26 per cent, what have you benefitted from it as against those who have stolen 52 per cent?”

Amaechi further revealed that, “There is a friend of mine who went to see the Inspector General of Police and then he got there and saw a DIG and then the DIG said ‘you are also here, are you not Governor Amaechi’s friend who is against our government?’

“This means from day one, the police is on the other side. And the police is the Nigeria police. It is not PDP police.”

He also accused the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of refusing to approve a $200million loan meant to provide water for the people of Rivers State because of his disagreement with Jonathan.

Amaechi said: “The African Development Bank (ADB) met with the Rivers State Government. We agreed on the loan and they signed off every document. All the requirements have been met to give us $200million as loan for water in River State.

“We travelled and concluded every arrangement but the Minister of Finance, who by international standard is recognised in the world, has refused to sign off for us to provide water for Rivers people.

“Meanwhile, I, the Governor, I drink bottled water paid for by Rivers people and then she has refused to sign off for the money to be released so that we can give our people water because Governor Amaechi is against the President.

“So it is like two women quarrelling and keeping malice with you. So they are keeping malice with me now and my people should die because I disagreed with the President?”