Minister of Transportation Rotimi
Amaechi has explained his role in the letter by ex-Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on non-remittance of funds
to the federation account.
A statement by his media office
yesterday reads: “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media
that tends to infer and/or suggest that the former governor of Rivers
State and now minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi,
surreptitiously and clandestinely ‘leaked’ a letter by former Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Muhammad 11,
to then President
Goodluck Jonathan on non-remittance of $49.8 billion
from oil sale to the federation account. Thiis is not true. ”To put the
records straight, we want state that: “A concerned and patriotic
Nigerian, who felt troubled with what was happening then, gave a copy of
the Sanusi letter to Amaechi in Amaechi’s capacity as chairman of the
Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). Like Amaechi, we should appreciate that
concerned Nigerian’s patriotism.
“When Amaechi got the letter, he spoke
with Sanusi, who was still the CBN governor, to confirm the authenticity
of the letter. Sanusi confirmed to Amaechi that he wrote the letter.
During their conversation, Amaechi made it abundantly clear to the then
CBN governor that the bleeding of the nation had to be stopped, all
non-remitted funds remitted and that he (Amaechi) was going to use the
letter to do whatever is in the best interest of the nation and
Nigerians, which was the stoppage of the non-remittance and the recovery
of all non-remitted funds from oil sale. The CBN governor didn’t agree
with Amaechi on the way forward. “Considering that the letter was given
to Amaechi as chairman of the Governors’ Forum, he shared the letter
with his colleagues first, and with Senator Bukola Saraki (now Senate
president), who before and around that period was doing some work or/and
investigation around the oil sector in the Senate.
“ Around that period, a delegation from
the United States of America, from the offices of the secretaries of
State and Defence visited Amaechi in Port Harcourt to discuss the issue
of oil theft in Nigeria. From their records, they gave Amaechi figures
of billions of dollars (about $7 billion dollars, annually) that was
being lost to oil theft in Nigeria. They were discussing the issue and
figures of oil theft, and that was how the CBN governor’s letter to
President Jonathan came up. In the presence of journalists covering the
visit, Amaechi brought out the Sanusi letter to buttress the point that
Nigeria was losing far more to non-remittance of proceeds from oil sale
into the federation account.
“To suggest, infer or even extrapolate
that Amaechi surreptitiously, clandestinely or underhandedly ‘leaked’
the CBN governor’s (Sanusi’s) letter is most unfair, disrespectful and
uncharitable. Amaechi did what he did because he believed that the theft
and corruption was just too much. He was propelled by his patriotic
zeal to put Nigeria first, do what is in the best interest of the nation
and Nigerians, and stop the bleeding and sucking of our collective
resources by a tiny few. The mind boggling corruption revelations that
is still going on clearly justifies and vindicates Amaechi’s stance on
the issue and the actions he took. Faced with the same situation, under
similar circumstances, Amaechi will not act differently. The good of
Nigeria, putting the nation and Nigerians first, will always be his
guiding principle.”
source Thenationnewspaper.
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