$43m Ikoyigate Belongs To Rivers State Govt – Sekib

Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East yesterday told the Senators at the Senate Chambers that the $43million uncovered at a luxury apartment building in Osborne, Ikoyi, Lagos by the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) belongs to the Rivers State Government. Sekibo alleged that the said apartment belongs to a former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, adding that if the apartment belongs to National Intelligence Agency, NIA, the EFCC will not go there because they are interrelated. Senator Sekibo however raises doubt over the credibility of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo -led panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the circumstances that led to the huge amount of money to the tune of 43 million dollars Osborne fund found in that apartment, just as he called for the inclusion of Rivera State Government in the investigation of the said money. Speaking yesterday during plenary, Sekibo who came under other 43, argued that Rivers state government should be invited to submit its claims to the panel if it is the objective in its probe, just as he said that Osinbajo is the only credible member of the committee, adding that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had already taken side when he disclosed that, he knew the source of the money. In a dramatic manner, Sekibo brought out a whistle from his pocket, blew it to the hearing of other Senators three times. Sekibo said, “We told the FG and the EFCC and even senate in 2015 when we were screening ministers that over 300 million dollars got missing in rivers state, but they politicized it. That apartment belongs to Amaechi if that apartment belongs to NIA, EFCC will not go there because they are interrelated. Only the vice president may be genuine because the others have already taken position. We have made a claim, Rivers state government should be invited to submit their claims.” But in a swift reaction, Senator Magnus Abe, APC, Rivers South East took a swipe at Senator Sekibo, asking him to approach the probe panel with all the documents and information at his disposal to prove his allegations, just as he warned that Whistle blowing policing must not be abused, adding that there should be consequence for whistle blowers who cannot substantiate their whistle blowing with facts. Senator Abe who spoke to Journalists after plenary session said that we should all be appreciative of whistle blowers who have brought facts that have led to recoveries of money that may have been stolen, just as he said that the only problem is that we risk politicizing what should be a serious exercise to a political witch hunt, adding, “My advice to Senator Sekibo and others who may have such information that would lead to recoveries, is that such should be forwarded to security agencies. “With the information that Senator Sekibo said he has now, it would be appropriate for the panel headed by the Vice President to invite him to come and present his facts. I urge Sekibo having blown the whistle in the Senate, he should take the whistle to the panel and blow it there, just as he did in the Senate. There must be consequences for false whistle blowing, when you do not have facts, because falsely blowing whistle leads to trauma for the families of those involved. when your political opponents blow whistle in your direction, then you deal with trauma “As a consequence of false whistle blowing, budget documents are said to have disappeared and the committee has come out to say it was affected by the raid in Senator Goje’s property.” Senator Sekibo had continued saying, “We appreciate the effort of the president and immediately they set up a committee to look into it. We also appreciate the fact that Nigerians are worried that money that does not belong to anyone was lodged in a private apartment. We are worried of the claims of the DG NIA and even the attorney general of the federation that the money belong to teh NIA and that it was put in that apartment in 2015 for covet operations” He said.
Vanguard