Ikoyi $43m: Rivers State Govt claims ownership. Gives FG 7days ultimatum to return the funds they claim was diverted by Amaechi

Read the press statement below...

Rivers State Governor has given the Federal Government an ultimatum of 7 days to return the $43million dollars found in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi to the Rivers State Government, failure which the State Government will take legal measures to ensure that it gets back her stolen resources, declaring that the $43million dollars found in the luxury apartment in Ikoyi belongs to the Rivers State Government.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike addressing journalists on Friday night at the Government House; Port Harcourt on funds discovered at an Ikoyi apartment

Governor Wike said that investigations by the Rivers State Government revealed that the money was proceed from the sale of gas turbines by the immediate past Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. Addressing journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday night, Governor Wike said:

"The money in question belongs to the former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. We want to confirm that the houses in Ikoyi also belong to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. "If you recollect in 2015, we said that gas turbines built by Former Governor Peter Odili were sold to Sahara Energy, business partners of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at $319million. "That money was used to sponsor the All Progressives Congress for the 2015 general elections. From the date of sale of the gas turbines to May 29, 2015, the money depleted from $319million to $204,000 . What was stashed at the Ikoyi residence was part of that fund". He said : "We have facts to prove that the said money belongs to the Rivers State Government. The Federal Government must return our money".

Governor Wike said all the stories being peddled about the money belonging to the National Intelligence Agency are false and mere face saving measures by the embattled APC Federal Government. He said: "As I speak to you, the Federal Government is so embarrassed that this has happened. All the stories that the money belongs to the NIA are fake".

Governor Wike challenged the Federal Government to set up a panel of Inquiry, which will sit publicly to investigate the money, if it doubted the claim of the Rivers State Government. He stated that the Rivers State Government needs the money to complete an array of projects, insisting that on no account would this criminal activity be swept under the carpet. The governor said as long as the Federal Government continues to disturb the progress of Rivers State, so long will God throw the Federal Government into confusion. "We are giving them seven days to return our money. Otherwise, we would take legal action to recover our money. $43million will help us complete several projects. We need that money for projects", he said.

Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media. 14th April, 2017.