The former Rivers state governor also stated that some ministers are (as against public perception) squatting in Abuja, in conditions similar to that of many Nigerians.
In an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on the Osasu Show, the minister who recently hailed for the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna railway, said: “Listen to me; do you know that ministers, as we are talking now, some of them are squatting? We are living in conditions equal to that of most Nigerians.”
Speaking further, The Cable reports that Amaechi said: “For those who don’t have houses, they’re able to rent houses at a cheap cost in Kaduna as against that of Abuja. It also impacts the savings; you have disposable income in your hand. It also impacts on agriculture, agricultural produce, you can transport easily and it will impact on cost of production because at that point, you’re able to move the cargo at a cheaper cost.
“And then whatever comes out of production, will be sold to the people at a cheaper cost. So basically, it has economic importance that would at the end of the day, impact on the socio-economic entities of Kaduna and Abuja.”
While answering questions on allegations of corruption leveled against him, the former speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly said: “You know I have said I several times, if I was to be the governor, and I have evidence against them, I would go to court.
“Okay, I’m at the court of appeal as former governor and I said ‘can I see the report that says I was indebted’? Till today, they’re not able to produce the report so the case is not able to go on because judges of the court of appeal say ‘we can’t go on except we see the documents to base our judgment on’.
“Till today, Rivers State government is not able to produce the document. So if a man is corrupt, don’t go to radio and TV, produce the evidence.
“No Nigerian is thinking about it; oh Buhari should sack Governor Amaechi he’s corrupt, provide it, he doesn’t need to sack me. What will sack me is to provide the evidence in court; the president will have no choice but to relieve me of my position.”
The ex-governor, however, refused comment on the peace talks with his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike.
“No comments. No, no comments. This interview is about minister of transportation and nothing more,” Amaechi said.
“I served as governor for eight years. Let one person come forward and say Amaechi supervised the killing of somebody or hired political thugs to go and kill somebody or hired political thugs to disrupt a meeting,” Amaechi said.
“From when I started politics in 1987 till now, I’m looking for the person. In all these madness going on in Rivers State, have you read anywhere in the newspaper where my name is mentioned about killings?
“First, I’m a Christian, I believe that only God can create human beings and if you take life, it is irreplaceable and there is no justification, whether political or religious or anything that can make you take life. If you do that, first, the law should come after you, secondly, your God should judge you,” the radical minister added.
Meanwhile, Amaechi on Tuesday, July 26 said that the Abuja-Kaduna special rail project was partially executed by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The minister of transport has said that both APC and PDP would share glory for the special rail project between Abuja and Kaduna.
Amaechi however, stressed that the President Buhari’s government was responsible for executing the final stages that were crucial to the project’s completion.
Premium Times reports that the line, first of its kind in Nigeria, was commissioned amidst fanfare by Buhari in Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja and major terminal for the route, on Tuesday.
But no sooner had the commissioning ceremony got underway than arguments about who deserved the most credit for what is now widely acknowledged as one of the most consequential improvements to Nigeria’s rail transportation in a long time ensued.
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