Rotimi Amaechi
THE immediate past governor of Rivers State, Mr.
Rotimi Amaechi, has dragged the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, its
Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, and two others to an Abuja High Court over
allegations that he embezzled $757m (N80bn) belonging to the state while in
office.
Although the former governor did not identify the
two other persons he joined in his suit, Amaechi said the allegation had done a
lot of harm to his person and reputation, and he demanded N300 billion as
damages.
Amaechi recalled that the state PDP on August 6,
and August 21, 2015, alleged that he stole the sum of $757 million or N80
billion of Rivers money and stashed them away in an account in his name in
Bancorp Bank in Minnesota, United State of America.
The immediate past governor explained in a
statement that ever since the said invidious and libelous publications by the
PDP and Felix Obuah emerged in public domain, he had been “inundated, bombarded
and confronted by several persons who expressed lack of respect, loss of faith
in him and who no longer regard him as trustworthy and now view him as a common
criminal.”
The statement also said, “The PDP also alleged
that Amaechi had embezzled millions of dollars of Rivers State money and
stashed the money in other foreign accounts in his name, including a bank in
Switzerland. The PDP claimed that the various Amaechi foreign accounts were
revealed and blown open by Christine Amanpour of America’s Cable News Network.
“The PDP went further to claim that Bancorp Bank,
Minnesota, had written to President Muhammadu Buhari that part of the funds was
to purchase a residence for Amaechi in America and that they (Bancorp Bank)
intend to return the stolen funds to Nigeria.
“Against PDP, Felix Obuah and two others, Amaechi
is seeking the sum of N300, 000, 000, 000.00 for general damages done to him
and defamation of his character, reputation and person.”
However, in this fresh suit filed before an Abuja
High Court, FCT, Amaechi stated that each of the said malicious publications by
the defendants (PDP, Felix Obuah and two others) are untrue, false, motivated
by ill-will and without any foundations in truth whatsoever.
Reacting, Obuah told our correspondent that he
would not comment on Amaechi’s action immediately.
Obuah promised that his lawyers would react
appropriately by the time he read the publication on the said lawsuit by
Amaechi.
“I have not seen the publication. When I see the
publication, I will tell my lawyers to react appropriately,” Obuah stressed.
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