Ministers squatting in Abuja; Buhari would sack me if I was corrupt – Amaechi

  The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that

some of his colleagues in the federal cabinet are currently

squatting in Abuja.

He spoke in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion, on The Osasu

Show.

“Listen to me; do you know that ministers, as we are talking

now, some of them are squatting? We are living in conditions

equal to that of most Nigerians,” the former Rivers Governor

said. Commenting on the rail line recently commissioned, Amaechi

said the project would ease accommodation challenges facing

those who cannot afford the high rent charged in Abuja.

His words: “For those who don’t have houses, they’re able to

rent houses at a cheap cost in Kaduna as against that of

Abuja. It also impacts the savings; you have disposable

income in your hand. It also impacts on agriculture,

agricultural produce, you can transport easily and it will

impact on cost of production because at that point, you’re able

to move the cargo at a cheaper cost.

“And then whatever comes out of production, will be sold to

the people at a cheaper cost. So basically, it has economic

importance that would at the end of the day, impact on the

socio-economic entities of Kaduna and Abuja.”

On allegations that he is corrupt and calls on President

Muhammadu Buhari to sack him on that basis, Amaechi

responded: “You know I have said I several times, if I was to

be the governor, and I have evidence against them, I would go

to court.

“Okay, I’m at the court of appeal as former governor and I said

‘can I see the report that says I was indebted’? Till today,

they’re not able to produce the report so the case is not able

to go on because judges of the court of appeal say ‘we can’t

go on except we see the documents to base our judgment on’.

“Till today, Rivers State government is not able to produce the

document. So if a man is corrupt, don’t go to radio and TV,

produce the evidence.

“No Nigerian is thinking about it; oh Buhari should sack

Governor Amaechi he’s corrupt, provide it, he doesn’t need to

sack me. What will sack me is to provide the evidence in

court; the president will have no choice but to relieve me of

my position.”

Amaechi, who refused to answer a question regarding his

publicized truce with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike,

also spoke on political crisis in his home state.

“I served as governor for eight years. Let one person come

forward and say Amaechi supervised the killing of somebody

or hired political thugs to go and kill somebody or hired

political thugs to disrupt a meeting,” Amaechi said.

“From when I started politics in 1987 till now, I’m looking for

the person. In all these madness going on in Rivers State, have

you read anywhere in the newspaper where my name is

mentioned about killings?

“First, I’m a Christian, I believe that only God can create

human beings and if you take life, it is irreplaceable and there

is no justification, whether political or religious or anything that

can make you take life. If you do that, first, the law should

come after you, secondly, your God should judge you.”