How I got involved in Sanusi’s letter to Jonathan, by Amaechi
Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation
The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi yesterday disclosed his involvement in the ’leaked’ secret letter written by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Muhammad II to former President Goodluck Jonathan on the non-remittance of $49.8 billion from oil sale to the federation account. .
Sanusi had, in an interview with recently launched show by Forbes Africa TV “My Worst Day” with Peace Hyde, disclosed that Amaechi was responsible for leaking to Obasanjo a letter he (Sanusi) wrote to Jonathan on the “missing” $49.8 billion oil revenues.
But Amaechi in a statement signed by his media office yesterday admitted that he did so in the best interest of the country, saying the document was not leaked clandestinely as suggested in the report.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media that tends to infer and/or suggest that immediate past governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, surreptitiously and clandestinely ‘leaked’ a letter written by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Muhammad II to then President Goodluck Jonathan on the non-remittance of $49.8 billion from oil sale to the federation account. This is further from the truth and what exactly transpired as regards Amaechi’s involvement in that Sanusi letter.
“To put the records straight, we want to categorically state that:
‘’A concerned and patriotic Nigerian who felt sufficiently troubled with what was happening then, gave a copy of the Sanusi letter to Amaechi in Amaechi’s capacity as the 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 the 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 colleague governors 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 government, from the offices of the Secretaries of State and Defense 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, 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 the visiting American delegation to buttress the point that Nigeria was losing far more money to non-remittance of proceeds from oil sale into the federation account, which everyone seemed to concur, was in itself, another form and another dimension to the issue of oil theft.
‘’ To suggest, infer or even extrapolate that Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi surreptitiously, clandestinely or underhandedly ‘leaked’ the CBN governor’s (Sanusi’s) letter is indeed most unfair, disrespectful and uncharitable to his person.
“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 in the recent past, that is still ongoing 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.”
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20 Comments
The bleed of the nation has to be stopped but Rivers State should keep bleeding. Amechi criminal and greed attitude is very obvious. Everyone will give account of his or her self on the God judgment day.
Amechi is taking as if he is free, you that is a thief greatest thief of all times and season
Let’s see what he can do as a minister, yeye man
Well let us face this one first. Don’t change topics. Should we allow Goodluck to roam free with his loot?
Should he not be in jail?
The Buhari regime came to power on the basis of false allegations of looted funds from NNPC coffers. The last 11 months, Nigerians have not heard a word from their President on the whereabouts of the ‘looted’ billions and why they have not been recovered. But, those who conspired and contrived falsehood against President Jonathan are now being exposed – by God. How could Amaechi disclose state information to foreigners when the authenticity of such information has not been proven? Have foreigners more interest in the development of Nigeria than Nigerians themselves? Why should a sympathiser weep louder than the bereaved? In any case, this is another diversionary tactic. Amaechi, Sanusi, El Rufai, Tinubu,Obasanjo and Buhari should explain to Nigerians why there is still fuel scarcity in Nigeria, why Nigeria is still in total darkness and why there is insecurity in our land. These are the things that matter more to our people.
Ify Onabu, you are being sentimental, your Jonathan destroy everything before he left office, it is easier to destroy than to build. Things will get better after clearing the mess created by PDP Government.
Is good buhari won, Nigerians have seen that buhari have nothing to offer to Nigerians,because some mugus who voted for buhari would’ve said buhari is the best president Nigeria never had. He has messed himself up and his gang who gangrape Jonathan.
Nigerians will see progress and governance at a level they have not seen before and you the fearful , hateful guy posting this will marvel.
I am ready to bet it with you. Please put your money down. Buhari will teach you guys that it is easy to govern Nigeria if you are honest, your heart is clean and you don’t play games
We know Dieziani will come soon to defend herself and tell us the real figure that they stole. Jonathan will also finally open his mouth and deny everything . Until then please shut up.
Buhari regime did not come to power in the basis of just one allegation. Nigerians are not fools . The current problems of power, low Naira value, decayed universities and weak infrastructure alone is the proof that we were right to vote out that corrupt and lying government.
Amaechi leaked the nation’s internal secret to foreigners in the quest to settle scores with the past president and can never be in the interest of the nation. Did he make any attempt to discuss that with the president before inviting foreigners? I weep for Nigeria!!!. Their leaders will never grow up. They hold grudges, PhD( pull him down), and vendetta to the detriment of the nation they claim to serve. Still have a long way to go. God save Nigeria.
Stealing Nigerian money to keep abroad is not Nigerian internal secret. You can try it. Steal Nigerian money and go to the UK. As part of extradition proceedings they will release all the information to the UK government. A president and minister that steals our money are worse than enemies whether they are Goodluck, Abacha or IBB and there is no internal secret we have to keep. Thieves are thieves.
We may have to jail Jonathan for stealing and many other “internal secrets” will be leaked just as we leaked secrets to get Abacha loot back.
Stealing is stealing and no one should be spared. My contention is that the issue should have be verified and if proven, the culprits should be brought to book. Revelling the issue to foreigners did not solve any issue. If he was sincere, he should have clandestinely involve Nigerian journalists to investigate the case and get to the root, and perhaps expose many other deals and those involved. I still maintain that he rushed to expose the case not as good intention but to score cheap political gain.
He proves HOLY, yeyenatu!!!!!!
In the world of criminals it is right to commit a crime but dishonorable to tell on those who engage in such. Criminals have used this tactics to scare and keep a stranglehold on their victims, a form of Stockholm syndrome where the victims eventually start defending their antagonists.
It is quite a pity that the Stockholm syndrome has eaten so deep into our psyche that we fail to see the desperate and perilous situation that this evil had thrown our nation into.
Amaechi is not a saint but a saying goes, ‘a saint has a past, so also does a sinner have a future.’ Another quote by Thomas Carlyle says, “Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world.”
I learnt one thing from this quote, a rascal, thief, scoundrel can one day make a decision to become an agent of transformation and rebirth. Nobody is born honest, it takes a conscious effort to become honest.
Rightly or wrongly, vendetta or not. The thieving must stop and all those involved in it no matter where they come from must be stopped.
I commend Sanusi and others who did not keep silent when this was going on, we can argue about figures but that is not the crux of the matter, matter still remains that the oil industry is not transparent and the NNPC has become a behemoth fleecing the resources of this nation.
Thank you Amechi. The lion of Ubima. Courageous defender of Rivers people . Your efforts in flushing away that corrupt and clueless administration would be amply rewarded by God and Nigeria.
“Courageous defender of Rivers people” and Patriotic Nigerian
Gbam !
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I laugh. Rotimi, the Yorubas illegitimate child is the what of Rivers people?. Please, don’t insult yourself by talking about this crook. He and his family cannot sleep happily in Rivers State. The ghost of all the people he and his cohorts have murdered and are murdering will hunt him forever.
What are Nigeria’s security waiting for before quizzing and arresting Amaechi for trial. His narative here is a threat to our national security by sharing information with foreign governments. This is treasonable.
If there is real justice in our country, neither Amaechi, Sanusi nor Jonathan would be on this side of freedom with me.
This Amechi guy likes publicity too much. He should concentrate now on his ministry and try make good to deliver on performance. Yesterday its fight with Wike, today its another whatever with Sanusi and letter. Enough of this nonsense. Nigerians don’t care who leaked what to whoever. Govern please, govern or resign.
We will review and take appropriate action.