Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is widely seen among Nigerians as one of the sore points in President Muhammadu Buhari anti-corruption crusading.
Not a few sees him as corrupt and had wondered how he made the cabinet of the so-called ‘Mr. Clean’.
Although Ameachi, who is now minister of transportation, who swears vehemently that he is clean, a commission of inquiry set up by his predecessor Nyesom Wike indicted of fraudulent transactions running into billions of naira.
President Buhari simply overlooked all that and went ahead to pick him as minister.
Of all the ministers forwarded to the Senate for clearance, the former Rivers governor faced the most opposition. But the ruling party simply muscled his clearance through. It is heavily speculated within the country that the former governor shelled out a princely N40 billion to fund Buhari’s campaign. And the President has been loyal to their friendship, rewarding him with two juicy appointments – Managing Director Niger Delta Development Commission and the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency – for Amaechi’s former associates in Rivers volatile poltics.
Though Nigerians complained about Amaechi”s appointment, just like any other thing they have just decided to move on. The Nigerian media also soon downgraded any reports sustaining the doubts on the ministers integrity credentials or so it appeared.
But British Daily Mail on Saturday raised the question again in far away London. The restated the question about Amaechi’s corruption allegation.
In a report titled: Is Nigerian leader’s pal ‘fantastically corrupt’? Friend of African president accused of stealing £500million, they x-rayed the questions raised about Amaechi and how it has affected negatively the integrity of Buhari’s anti-corruption crusading.
The report reads,
” When David Cameron was caught on camera last week before an anti-corruption summit describing Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt’, the African state’s president rallied to the Prime Minister’s defence by agreeing with him.
But although Muhammadu Buhari is seen by some as leading the battle against corruption, worrying allegations swirl around one of his close allies.
Rotimi Amaechi, who travelled with the president to the summit, is Nigeria’s transport minister and is said to have bankrolled Buhari’s presidential campaign.
When David Cameron *(left) was caught on camera last week describing Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt’, the African state’s president Muhammadu Buhari (right) rallied to the Prime Minister’s defence by agreeing with him
In the Nigerian press he has been dubbed ‘ATM’ – the American term for cash machine – because of his ability to produce vast sums of money at short notice.
He remains in his post despite being accused of misappropriating £338million by a commission investigating the sale of state assets.
Some of that money is likely to have come from UK taxpayers, who gave the country £1billion in aid over five years to 2014, including £248million in 2014 alone.
Separately, Amaechi is accused of diverting £140million of state funds into Buhari’s presidential campaign, with reports he paid for media, consultants and private jets.
A leaked draft budget for 2016 showed the Nigerian government earmarked £16million for the refurbishment and maintenance of the president’s official residence, Aso Rock Guest House, in the capital Abuja
The allegations come as the president stands accused of enjoying a lavish lifestyle while many millions suffer in poverty.
A leaked draft budget for 2016 showed the Nigerian government earmarked £16million for the refurbishment and maintenance of the president’s official residence, Aso Rock Guest House, in the capital Abuja.
There was also a request for £13million for building a VIP wing at a hospital used by families of the president and his ministerial team.
Mr Amaechi has denied the allegations against him.
 report questions Rotimi Amaechi’s retention in govt despite corruption charges){kind=link}