The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, says no anti-corruption agency in the country can probe him. Amaechi was reacting to a Punch report on wednesday that he along with some other former governors: Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Shehu Shema (Katsina) and Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State were being probed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and related offences Commission.Speaking on behalf of the ex governor, Chief Tony Okocha, a former aide to Amaechi, told Punch that the ex-governor was not afraid of ICPC or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as long as the probe was not a witch-hunt.
Okocha, however, recalled that the ICPC and the EFCC had not vacated a court order stopping any of them from investigating any Rivers Government official and as such could not probe him.
He stated that Governor Nyesom Wike was a beneficiary of such order from the court, adding that until the court injunction was vacated, it would be illegal for the ICPC to probe his boss.
“I have always said that Amaechi is not afraid of the EFCC or the ICPC as long as such probe is not a witch-hunt. Again, there is a court order that the EFCC or other agency like it cannot probe any government official in the state. Wike is a beneficiary of that court order.
“Until that court order is vacated, the ICPC or the EFCC have no right to investigate Amaechi. Since what they are going to investigate is his (Amaechi’s) activities while in government, the EFCC and the ICPC do not have such right to do so based on the standing court order.” he said.
Okocha, however, recalled that the ICPC and the EFCC had not vacated a court order stopping any of them from investigating any Rivers Government official and as such could not probe him.
He stated that Governor Nyesom Wike was a beneficiary of such order from the court, adding that until the court injunction was vacated, it would be illegal for the ICPC to probe his boss.
“I have always said that Amaechi is not afraid of the EFCC or the ICPC as long as such probe is not a witch-hunt. Again, there is a court order that the EFCC or other agency like it cannot probe any government official in the state. Wike is a beneficiary of that court order.
“Until that court order is vacated, the ICPC or the EFCC have no right to investigate Amaechi. Since what they are going to investigate is his (Amaechi’s) activities while in government, the EFCC and the ICPC do not have such right to do so based on the standing court order.” he said.
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