• Says money recovered in Ikoyi belongs to Rivers
From Fred Itua, Abuja
Senator George Sekibo from Rivers State has metaphorically extended the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government to the floor of the Senate.
The lawmaker, who got up at about 11.07am yesterday to protest the refusal of the Federal Government to return the recovered $49 million at an Ikoyi apartment in Lagos to the Rivers State Government, brought out a whistle.
Before the presiding officer, Senator Ike Ekweremadu could intervene to stop him, Sekibo blew the whistle three times and called on the Senate to investigate the issue. He pleaded with the Senate to mount pressure on the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence moves on how to return the funds to the Government of Rivers State.
Senator Sekibo maintained that the said money was allegedly looted by the immediate-past governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi. His plea, however, did not gain any support. Instead, Ekweremadu told him that since the case was already being investigated by the House of Representatives, there was no need for the Senate to commence the same exercise.
He maintained it would be unreasonable to commence a fresh investigation and argued that since it was the same National Assembly, it would appear ridiculous.
Instead, Ekweremadu urged Senator Sekibo to pass a message to the Rivers State Government to send all necessary documents to the House of Representatives adhoc committee probing the recovered money.