Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi Denies Promising to Return Seized Property to Igbos in Rivers State

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has refuted claims that he promised to return property seized from the Igbos in Rivers State under the abandoned property policy after the civil war.

Amaechi had been criticized by officials of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, including the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Information, for allegedly promising to return the abandoned property to the Igbos in Rivers State if Tonye Cole, the APC Governorship candidate, won the March 18 elections.

Amaechi's media team clarified that he did not promise any compensation for abandoned properties to the Igbos in Rivers State, and that he only apologized to them when he became governor of Rivers State, expressing regret on behalf of the state for the abandoned properties from the Nigerian civil war. Amaechi was quoted as saying, "If I were governor when they were doing abandoned property, I would not accept."

Amaechi only mentioned compensation when he spoke about people who were being intimidated, harassed, and threatened with violence due to their support for the APC in the upcoming Governorship and State Assembly election. He assured them that if they were affected, the Rivers State government would replace everything they lost.

Amaechi's media team urged the people of Rivers State to disregard the criticisms and accusations by Governor Wike and his agents, whom they accused of spreading fake news and divisive propaganda.