Senate finally screens Rotimi Amaechi

After days of postponement of the screening of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State Governor, the Senate on Thursday screened the former governor for ministerial position.

The Senate had twice postponed the screening of the former governor owing to some allegations of fraud levelled against him by the Rivers State Government and the scheduled trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on alleged false declaration of assets on Wednesday.

At the inception of the screening on Thursday, however, Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, had opposed Amaechi’s screening on the grounds that the report of the ad hoc committee, set up by the Senate to look into the petitions against Amaechi’s nomination, had only been submitted but not considered by the lawmakers.

Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, argued that it would be inappropriate to ask the ministerial nominee questions when the report of the panel set up to investigate the allegations against him had not been considered.

However, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, ensured he was asked questions, leaving the moment for All Progressives Congress, APC, senators alone.

While fielding questions from the senators,  Amaechi said he disliked corruption, adding that he was not indicted in the whole report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry of Rivers State.

“There is nowhere in the report of the Judicial committee, not even the white paper by the governor, that I am indicted for corruption,” he said.

Speaking on the APC victory in the last presidential election, he said the party was able to sell to Nigerians that there was massive corruption in the previous government.

“So we let Nigerians know that the only solution was to change government. And then, we presented a signpost candidate who is incorruptible.”

On Niger Delta problems, he assured that the East West Road would be his top priority if he is appointed minister for the region.