Governor Nyesom Wike has ordered the prosecution of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and APC Governorship candidate in the state Tonye Cole over the alleged misuse of 96 billion Naira which accrued from the sales of state assets.
Wike gave the order after swearing-in three new commissioners at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The decision to file the charges was taken after the Supreme Court dismissed an application by former Governor Amaechi, challenging the probe as advised by a commission of inquiry constituted by Governor Wike to look into the alleged sale of valuable assets such as Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel and the award of contract for the execution of Mono Rail Project.
The Governor said the leaders of the state decided to prosecute the former Governor and an energy firm, Sahara Energies indicted in the deals.
The firm is co-founded by a businessman, Tonye Cole who is now the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
Wike directed the state’s new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, to commence the process of filing criminal charges against the two men and the others immediately.
Yesterday, Wike told his new Attorney General: “You’re at a critical period where people want to know what the state is going to do with the Judiciary Panel of Inquiry after the Supreme Court judgement on it. Luckily, you came at the right time when we had preferred criminal charges against the former governor (Amaechi), Sahara Energy’s Tonye Cole and the rest of them.
“So, you are coming at the right time to take over the matter and to make sure it is prosecuted diligently. I don’t want to hear excuses. Let the people see what happened to our money. The world will see how $50 million from our account was moved to a company without nothing to show whether there was a business.”
Meanwhile, Wike yesterday stated that the attempt by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the state’s PDP governorship candidate, Siminalaye Fubara would not be accepted, saying that the state government would not hesitate to charge the anti-craft agency for contempt.
Wike also directed Adangor to write a strong worded protest letter to the EFCC over the alleged harassment of Fubara.
