Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the former governor of the state and the All Progressives Congress presidential hopeful, Rotimi Amaechi, used the founder of Sahara Energy Group, Tonye Cole, to divert $50 million belonging to the state government.
Cole is the APC governorship candidate for Rivers ahead of the 2023 election.
The governor accused the duo of diverting the sum from Rivers State Government through a sham contract.
Wike who spoke in a live broadcast on Friday after the Supreme Court dismissed Amaechi’s suit to stop his probe over alleged N96bn fraud, said whether or not he goes ahead with the probe would depend on the leaders of the state.
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The incumbent had set up a panel to probe Amaechi’s dealings after he became Governor and the Supreme Court case was an attempt by Amaechi to set aside the recommendations of the panel.
Wike said on Friday:
If you see that report, as a Rivers man, you’ll cry. We are not being vindictive, but we have been vindicated.
So now the leaders of the state will decide what next step to take; it’s not for only me. Yes, I’m a Governor, but I can’t do it alone. If the leaders of the state says, yes we must prosecute them, I have no choice; but if the leaders say otherwise, I have no choice.
One of it was a diversion of $50 million from Rivers State Government to Sahara Energy.
And the issue became, what did Sahara Energy do for us that we are paying $50 million? Where is the agreement to show we borrowed money from them? Nothing.
You said Sahara Energy bought our gas turbines. Why are we paying them $50 million? Did we borrow money from them? Where is the agreement?
