Amaechi loses bid to stop ₦96 billion probe

-O Adejo
The former Minister of Transportation and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rotimi Amaechi has lost his legal battle seeking to stop an investigation into an alleged N96 billion fraud and sales of assets belonging to Rivers State.
In a judgement issued by the Supreme Court, Rotimi Amaechi was ordered to return home and face the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government. This panel was set up to investigate his tenure as Governor of the state.
Mr Amaechi previously approached the court to ask for an order to prohibit his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike from investigating him. However, the apex court dismissed his appeal.
Justice Adamu Jauro, who read the judgement in the suit, stated that it lacked merit and ought to be dismissed. Therefore, the suit was dismissed.
The high court of Rivers state and the Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed the same case for lack of substance and merit.
With this decision by the Supreme Court, Rotimi Amaechi will have to appear before the commission of inquiry to give an account of how N96 billion withdrawn from the state’s treasury was spent. The commission of inquiry is headed by Justice George Omokeji.