ROTIMI AMAECHI: A CREATION OF THE SUPREME COURT, NOW CRATING THE JUDGES

By Osondu Ahirika


On October 25, 2007, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in a landmark
judgment, nullified the Election of Mr. Celestine Omehia as the governor of Rivers State.

 In his stead, the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was installed as the new governor of the state.

Tha verdict shocked everyone, because Amaechi never stood for elections. Many legal luminaries have expressed regret at that judgment stating that, at best or worse, a rerun election should have been ordered. But that is history. 

With the strange events happening in October 2016, we can now sniff how Amaechi performed that magic and procured the Governorship seat.

Currently Minister for Transport, Amaechi is living large. Simply put, he is above the Law and struts the political landscape like a colossus. But why wouldn't he? He is enjoying the harvest of his labour as the chief financier of President Muhammadu Buhari's Presidential bid. Apart from bankrolling the campaign, he was the Director General of the Buhari/Osibanjo Campaign Organization. He did a good job of demolishing his brother-inlaw and former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Such exertion has expectedly conferred immunity on him. He is one of the untouchables of this administration.

On Friday October 7, 2016, the DSS carried out their infamous raid of the homes of Judges allegedly fingered in corrupt practices. So much has transpired ever since.
In a Letter dated October 17 and addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, one of the supreme Court justices arrested in the raid, Justice Inyang Okoro indicted Amaechi as the one who approached him to bribe him.

Justice Okoro revealed Amaechi said he was an emissary of Mr President and his ruling All Progressives Congress and that the CJN was privy to his mission. Amaechi demanded favourable judgment in the election appeals relating to Rivers, Abia and Akwa Ibom States and according to Okoro, promised him millions if he delivers. Okoro said he made a verbal report of the nocturnal visit to the CJN and left it at that. 

Less than 48 hours after Okoro's disclosure, another Judge,  Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta,  accused Rotimi Chibuike of sourcing for  favourable judgment in a 2015 election case.

Justice Ngwuta, in a letter addressed to the CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who doubles as Chairman of the NJC, blamed his travails on Amaechi.

In his letter dated October 18, 2016 letter, Ngwuta traced his ordeal to 2013 when he alleged that Amaechi allegedly approached him at a function at the international Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, to set aside Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose’s election in order to make way for his (Fayose’s) predecessor, and present Minister of Solid Minerals,  Kayode Fayemi.

Justice Ngwuta named other accomplices who also tried to bribe him as Senator Andy Uba and Minister, Ogbonaya Onu.  But, he added a telling comment, which he ascribed as a reacton of the CJN, " Your Lordship told me Amaechi had also attempted to influence other justices. Amaechi even reportedly told him, 'Oga is not happy', the 'Oga' a reference to President Buhari.

As we speak, Amaechi has dismissed both Judges claims as false, diversionary and political. Of course, nobody will quiz Amaechi. Who dare touch the wonderkid of the Buhari administration. Amaechi has always demonstrated he is the rockstar of the current cabal that rules Nigeria.

As a Guest on Rhythm 93.7 FM current Affairs Programme “View Point” in Port Harcourt on Saturday, March 19, 2016, Amaechi boasted that he was in charge of troops and security agents deployed for the National and State Assembly re-run in Rivers State and dared Governor Nyesom Wike and his supporters to a duel. That was careless. A replay of what he used to accuse Wike of doing to him as governor. Two wrongs that does not make one right.

Nobody called Amaechi to order.

A judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government probed and indicted Amaechi for siphoning billions from the treasury of Rivers State. He was shielded from prosecution.

A petition was forwarded to the Senate
by Integrity Group, premised on the
indictment of Mr. Amaechi by the
Judicial Commission. The group
asked the Senate not to confirm
the former governor as a minister, having been nominated by President Buhari. The Senate let him off the hook. They had no choice after a heated debate on the matter. 

  The abandoned multi billion naira monorail in Port Harcourt is crying testament of Ameachi's fraudulent looting of Rivers State, but the Economic and Financial crimes Commission will not invite Amaechi, as they have, other former governors and officials, to answer to several petitions with weighty evidence submitted to the agency.

Now, we have this case with the Judges and Amaechi is the prime suspect. The question is, why is it that, no other Minister is mentioned in the saga, except Amaechi? Is it that, both Justices hate Amaechi or they so love his name? Did Amaechi not always boast that he will retrieve Rivers State at all cost from the Peoples Democratic Party which won the 2015 Governorship polls there? Is the alleged bribery scheme part of that desperation to capture the states by all means as the APC hierarchy always boasted?

Are you still surprised at how Amaechi became governor when he never campaigned in 2007? Folks, shine your eyes

Some people have argued that, the revelation of the judges is belated and an afterthought. These people argue, the judges should have spoken out then, reported the matter to the authorities or called a press conference to expose the bribery attempt. I agree with them, but differ on second thought. 

First, let me go with Obi Nwakanma who wrote: "Justice Inyang Okoro took appropriate steps by promptly reporting his encounter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and sought appropriately to excuse himself from the case to avoid any taint. Bolaji Aluko's suggestion that the attempt to bribe the justices should have been reported to the police is meaningless, because, technically no inducement was accepted even though attempts were made. It was the prerogative of the CJN to either report the attempt to bribe the judge to the police, or to simply act as a wise judge, and not fall into the hot trap without compromising the course of justice.

Just imagine that the police had arrested Amechi and Umana in the heat of an election petition. The political fall-out would have been far more significant than necessary, and the judges would then truly be accused pf partisanship and bribery. They took the wise counsel - one to recuse himself, the other to contain the political fallout. If John Inyang Okoro's statement is true, then he took the steps expected of an honorable judge."

I totally concur. The political backlash of such a report, at that material time with the tension in the political space could have truncated the polity. The Justices demonstrated maturity in restraining their expose of the matter.

  Secondly, who says the passage of time invalidates the weight of a crime that was not reported? About ten Women are speaking up on how Donald Trump sexually abused them over ten years ago and the reports are haunting him in his bid to become the President of the United States of America. Indeed, a ten year old video leak, which shows Trump making lewd, misogynist remarks about how he gropes women effectively derailed his campaign. Who cares why the women didn't speak up when it occurred? Did popular TV act, Bill Cosby not have dozens of women accuse him in old age of sexually abusing them many years ago?  We could go on and on. 

How about the Catholic Church that is still grappling with priests who abused kids decades ago and are punishing them? Does anyone blame the victims in Ireland, Italy, Argentina, America and the rest for opening up after decades since the abuse took place? Which of them has been jailed or castigated for waiting this long top speak up?

When women who are victims of rape or sex trafficking speak up years after their ordeal, does society hurt them or console them? Is it not when the wind blows that the rump of the fowl is seen? Amaechi must answer to the weighty charges of trying to bribe judges and subvert justice. ,
if not now, then surely, he will later. If not by President Buhari, then someday, a Pharoah who will not know Joseph cometh. Amaechi is a creation of the judges, now he is their waterloo and is about 'crating' them into extinction. Indeed karma is a bitch.