Amaechi had asked the Apex Court to stop Governor Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as governor of the state.
The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by a Presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, seeking to stop his probe over an alleged N96 billion fraud and fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to the state.
Amaechi had asked the Apex Court to stop Governor Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as governor of the state.
The former governor, represented by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lateef Fagbemi, had predicated his opposition to the probe on the ground that it was a witch-hunt.
He also claimed that it was to embarrass him in view of his political differences with his successor.
Wike, who constituted a 7-man probe panel to probe Amaechi, is, however, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss Amaechi’s suit.
The governor, represented by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), had insisted that the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omekeji was to look into how N96 billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was expended.
Wike also said that the commission of inquiry was to look into the lawful or otherwise, sales of valuable assets of the state.
The listed valuable assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of mono-rail project.
Amaechi’s suit at the High Court of Rivers State and Court of Appeal had earlier been dismissed prompting his case at the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court in a lead judgment prepared by Justice Emmanuel Augie but read by Justice Adamu Jairo ordered Amaechi to go and face the Commission of Inquiry.
It dismissed the APC presidential aspirant’s appeal where he had asked for an order of the court to prohibit his successor, Wike from investigating his 8-year tenure as governor.
Justice Adamu Jauro held that it lacked merit, ought to be dismissed and was subsequently dismissed.
The court also ordered Amaechi to pay the sum of N1 million to Governor Wike as a cost.