Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is demanding the removal of the country’s transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and the suspended Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Usman, over unremitted funds.
The Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari had last week suspended Ms Usman following the advice of Mr Amaechi who’s accused the NPA under Ms Usman of not remitting enough money to Nigeria’s purse.
The PDP however faulted Mr Amaechi’s suggestion, describing it as a ploy to cover up the scandal.
President Buhari has also ordered a probe and asked Ms Usman to step aside while the probe continues. She however denies any wrongdoing.
PDP’s spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement insisted that both “the minister and the indicted NPA Managing Director should be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and possible prosecution.”
“The party also asks the transport minister to come clean on his reported connection in the alleged involvement of his wife, Mrs. Edith Amaechi, in the exposed N48 billion contract scam currently rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),” the PDP said.
“This is in addition to reports from the office of Auditor General which also unearthed the looting of unremitted deduction to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) amounting to N3,667,750,470. $148,845,745.04, Euro 4,891,449.50 and £252,682.14 under the suspended NPA Managing Director and Amaechi’s ministerial supervision.
“The audit report also exposed another N15.18 billion allegedly siphoned through shady Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects by the NPA, an agency under Amaechi’s ministerial purview.”
By Abel Ejikeme