Amaechi’s aide, 12 ex-LG chairmen dare panel

FOR the second day running, former Commissioner for Agriculture in Rivers State, Emma Chinda, failed to honour the invitation by the judicial commission of inquiry probing the alleged diversion of the N4 billion agricultural loan released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration.

In the same vein, 12 former local government chairmen in the state also failed to appear before the commission of inquiry at its second sitting in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.
The affected former council chairmen were Minaeichinbo Tende, Uche Nwaeke, Kadilo Kadiri, Orji Ngofa, Nnamdi Wuche, Mene Lenyie Derek and Ojukaye Flag Amachree, Ikegbidi Cassidy Okpara, Austin Ahiamadu, Ibigoni Daddy Pokima Charles Anyanwu and Nlemaa Agape.
They were invited by the probe panel to explain their roles as representatives of mother cooperative societies that allegedly diverted the CBN loan meant for the agriculture purposes in the state.
Reacting to the development, chairman of the commission, Justice George Omereji, gave an order for summon to be published, mandating the 12 former council chairmen to appear before the panel on Friday.
He gave the order after the counsel to the commission, Dr Zacheus Adangor, moved a motion for their arrest following their failure to appear.
He gave a hint that Chinda who, alongside former governor Amaechi allegedly diverted the N4billion CBN agriculture loan for political purposes, would be arrested if he fails to appear before the commission.
Omereji further directed that all the former council chairmen and commissioners allegedly used by the former administration to divert the loan which was converted to non-repayable grant should also appear to state their own side of the story.
He said the commission was disciplined and would not, at this stage, involve the police, stressing that it had power to summon any person for evidence, pursuant to the law establishing it.
The commission has power “To summon any person in Nigeria to attend any meeting of the commission to give evidence or produce any document, or other things in his possession and to examine him as a witness, or require him to produce any document or other things in his possession.”