Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Explains He Left Billions Of Naira In Cash And Assets

Former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has refuted claims by his successor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, that he left an empty treasury at the end of his tenure.


In a statement today, the Governor revealed that a total of N7.5billion cash was left behind as balances in the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) account with Skye Bank, FAAC account with Zenith Bank, balances with Access Bank, as well as funds in the State reserve fund account in First Bank.

“This is besides other balances in the state Government House account with Zenith Bank and other government MDA accounts, like the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP),” his Media Office said.  “By the time you pull all these together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of eight to ten billion naira left for the Wike administration.”

It pointed out that Amaechi also left economic assets worth tens of billions of naira for the State, stressing that just like cash, the assets store value.
“These assets that are scattered in diverse sectors of the economy were developed or built or procured with revenue that accrued to the state during Amaechi’s tenure. The assets belong to Rivers State, not Amaechi.  Some of these assets are presently yielding revenue to the state coffers, and many can be easily and readily converted to cash, if the State so desires.”

To that end, it described as “disingenuous and fraudulent” Governor Wike’s claim that Amaechi left an empty treasury in an effort to justify the N30billion loans he collected in less than 30 days in office.

“Rather than this puerile and silly distraction of always pointing accusing fingers at Amaechi, Wike should come out to explain to Rivers people what he took the loans for, account for and justify every kobo that has been spent from the loans,” the statement added.

It also noted that only yesterday, while trying to justify why he took a total of N30billion bank loans from Zenith and Access banks in fewer than 30 days in office, Wike’s spokesman Opunabo Inko-Tariah told a radio station in Port Harcourt that he met an empty treasury when he took over government.