by Dolapo Adelana

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike, on Friday issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to return the monies discovered on Wednesday by the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at an apartment in Lagos, The Sun reports.

Wike said the funds belonged to the Rivers State Government. He threatened that failure to return the money would leave the state government with no other option than to take legal measures to ensure it gets back her stolen resources.

The governor said investigations carried out by the state government revealed that the money was proceed from the sale of gas turbines by the immediate past governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, who is now the Minister of Transportation.

[Read Also:] You really need help | Amaechi replies Fani-Kayode over $50m ownership allegation

Speaking to journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday night, 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 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”.

[Read Also:] Money discovered by EFCC in Lagos apartment belongs to Rotimi Amaechi – Fani-Kayode

The governor said all the stories saying the money belonged to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) are false and mere face-saving measures by the embattled APC-led 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”.

Wike challenged the Federal Government to set up a panel of inquiry, to publicly investigate its claim.

He said the Rivers State Government needs the money to complete its array of projects, insisting that on no account would this scandal be swept under the carpet.

“We are giving them seven days to return our money. Otherwise, we would take legal action to recover our money. Forty-three million dollars will help us complete several projects. We need that money for projects,” he said.