Amaechi Probe: Hearing Begins Today ‘I’m Not Against Probe, But…’

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (3rd right), Representative of Julius Berger, Marco Braun (2nd right), Caretaker Committee Chairman of Obio /Akpor LGA, Bright Amaehwule (2nd left), and member of the House of Representatives, Mr Kingsley Chinda, during the flag off of the dualization of Oil Mill-Elelenwo-Akpajo road on Friday.

The Rivers State Judicial Commission of inquiry for the investigation of the immediate past administration led by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi would today commence sitting in Port Harcourt, the State capital.
This follows the court judgment which was delivered by Hon. Justice S.C. Amadi last Thursday, upholding the setting up the commission.
A press release signed by the Secretary to the Commission,Barr Queen Godwill said the sitting will commence today at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court Hall, High Court Complex, Port Harcourt by 9am daily.
The Commission was constituted by the Governor of the state, Nysom Wike pursuant to section 2 (1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap 30, Law of Rivers State.
It has the mandate to investigate the administration of former Governor of the State Rotimi Amaechi, with respect to the sale of valued assets of the State and other related matters.
According to the release, at the public sitting today, “the disbursement of the Four Billion Naira Agricultural Loan scheme by the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture is the first subject to be handled”.
It said the former Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Emmanuel Chindah with other officers involved in the loan scheme are expected to appear before the Commission.
They are also expected to bring all documents related to the Agricultural loan scheme, the statement indicated.
Meanwhile, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has again explained why he is opposed to and wants to stop the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by his successor, Nyesom Wike to probe some selected government transactions, while he was governor.
In a press statement by the former governor’s media office, yesterday, Amaechi said he’s not afraid of a fair and decent probe or investigation or inquiry of his administration; and would cooperate and support such probe or investigation or inquiry in as much as it’s done within the ambit of our laws.
According to the statement, “However what Wike has set out to do is anything but a fair probe. The commission will not be fair to Amaechi because it was set up to indict him. Wike had repeatedly held that Amaechi, the person to be investigated, acted illegally in the disbursement of public funds and that Amaechi ran a corrupt government. Clearly, Wike has prejudged the matter, and showed his bias that Amaechi is guilty even before investigations. This means that Wike, being prejudiced already, has taken a position of a guilty verdict even before the outcome is known or established.