Barely two weeks ago, the sacred waters were stirred violently when the Federal Government of Nigeria released a list of looters and only those outside the ‘eye of the hurricane’ seemed to be consumed.
Several individuals, politicians and stakeholders have since given their opinions. Chief Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State and an active member of the PDP has aired his view concerning the list which excluded the former governor of Rivers State and the Present Minister of Transportation Rotimi Ameachi, who he claimed stole N90 Billion from the state.
He said this when he received a Civil Society Organization of Rivers State on Thursday at the Government House Port Harcourt. He stated that publishing names of people the Federal Government ‘considered’ as looters was an unfortunate act of irresponsibility by the Federal Government.
According to him, the act of irresponsibility was worsened by the fact that leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC who were standing trial were excluded by the Federal Government.
Governor Wike said, “This is an irresponsible Federal Government that has no respect for the rule of law. They have become the judge, the prosecutor in cases before courts. All they want to do is tie the hands of judges to ensure all those standing trial are convicted at all costs.”
He however decried the fact that the looters’ list of the Federal Government did not include the “name of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who was indicted by the court-approved Judicial Commission of Inquiry for embezzling over N90billion state funds.”
In a similar story, former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole an active member of the APC has also reacted to the list but unlike Chief Wike, his opinion is one of joy in what we might say is total agreement to the truthfulness of the list.
The former governor over the weekend said he had been vindicated with the recent release of alleged looters list by the Federal Government. He noted how he was said to be lying when he earlier disclosed how the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, looted the entire treasury.
According to him, “What is being disclosed today is a tip of the iceberg, the money they looted if you share it among the 180milllion Nigerians everybody will be rich in this country.” He added that the Federal Government should not be bothered about the threat of court action by the affected persons but ensure that the looters were prosecuted.
Oshiomole said: “While I was governor of Edo State, I was privileged to be part of some committees that looked into the books of some of activities of the former administration, I told Nigerians then that monies looted from the treasury were in dollars and pounds but sadly the PDP guys engaged the services of hatched writers to challenged my comments.
“I think if other Nigerians don’t understand the power of transparency, the right to know, the media should uphold that right and defend it. What was stolen was not from private purse; the house that was destroyed was not a private residence. We are talking of resources which if it was distributed equally by the 180 million people, you will be richer.
“I think my only complaint is that the Federal Government should go more ruthless because there are a lot of people who should be in court who are not there. I have interacted with power vertically and horizontally, I know that we cannot be lamenting today without understanding that the treasury was bugled yesterday. It is like someone sneaked into your kitchen and took everything out and you woke up, he tells you I am sorry I stole the pot of soup, in fact, I broke the pot. Should we continue like that?
“Right now, they are saying the National Assembly should approve the $1billion the Federal Government is going to spend on security but this is a party that spent well above that without going to the National Assembly at all. The PDP cannot fool Nigerians anymore and we will continue to tell Nigerians about their sins.”
Back to reality away from Gov. Wike and former governor Adams, We are in the era of democracy and every man is entitled to his own opinion. But knowing that this government has always been one to thrive on controversy, it is almost irresistible to ask why the list of looters is being released at a time so close to the next general elections. As we watch the drama of finger pointing unfold, we cannot help but wonder what drama comes next or how soon the actors in this play are willing to dance on the stage.
count | 52
Recent Comments
Mwanchuel Daniel PamMarch 8, 2024 at 11:06 pm
Bob WayasNovember 6, 2023 at 5:30 am
JosephNovember 5, 2023 at 3:47 am