The Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Rotimi Amaechi has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to stop witch hunting President Jonathan’s political opponents and instead do its job as mandated by the law.
The Governor pointed the EFCC in the direction of the $5 billion missing from the Excess Crude Account, the ongoing fraud in the NNPC, Ministry of Niger Delta and Ministry of Works.
Amaechi who spoke at the governor’s retreat in Sokoto said, “The Excess Crude Account in January was N9bn. That account belongs to federal, states and local governments. Today it is N4bn. We don’t know who took the $5bn.”
He added, “Today, the EFCC is either in Jigawa or in Kano states because they (the governors) disagree with the President. What about NNPC? What about Ministry of Niger Delta and the Ministry of Works?
“The whole governors put together 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 get 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?”
Governor Amaechi also accused Ngozi Okonjo Iweala of playing politics of bitterness with his administration over a transaction needing her approval with the African Development Bank.
The governor 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.”
