The Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has spoken on how he rejected N1 billion bribe from a contractor while serving as the governor of Rivers State. Amaechi said this at the first annual lecture organised by CKN News, with the theme: “The Role Of The Social Media In Socio-Economic And Political Development Of Nigeria.” The lecture was held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Amaechi said he rejected the bribe because of his principled stance on corruption.
According to him: “My first confrontation with bribe was with a big contractor in Rivers State.
“After awarding the contract, he brought N1 billion.
“I screamed.
“I asked: ‘Where did you get the money?’
“And he said from what he got (from the contract) and I said: ‘Look, that means you over-quoted the contract.’
“I said: ‘The only reason you are giving me N1 billion was because if the contract was N36 billion, you made it N37 billion.’
“I have been Special Assistant to the governor for two years; Speaker, eight years; governor, eight years; minister, nearly two years…that’s nearly 20 years.
“So I know Nigerian politics well.
“Very, very well.”
Speaking on social media in Nigeria’s political and socio-economic development, Amaechi said in spite of its positive uses, the social media is capable of destroying Nigeria if not checked.
The Minister noted that so many politicians engage the social media to tarnish the image of their counterparts, adding that most of them engage young men to come up with stories that do not exist against their enemies in politics.
Amaechi said: “When it was published that I own a property worth N50 million, I just waved it aside that the news won’t go anywhere until it became serious.
“The social media misinforms the public, they don’t verify their information, they have no rules and they can publish anything.
“It is a tool that politicians use to damage the reputation of another politician.
“As a governor, if you don’t want crime to continue, the best thing is to create wealth.
“The feedback the social media platform provides helps to check the efficiency of the government and in the bid to create employment, politicians have made use of the platform to reach out to prospective candidates.
“Social media can destroy this country.
“True or false?
“Just look at Biafra and that’s why Nnamdi Kanu can say all he is saying and still get a forum.
“Most politicians pay young men to post all sorts on social media.
“I was governor for eight years, for about seven years people used to say: ‘This man is arrogant.’
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“How did they suddenly say this man is corrupt?
“PDP used to say: ‘Amaechi is our response to (Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde) Fashola.
“So when did they suddenly say: ‘Oh, he didn’t do anything.
“And I say to people, because somebody just went to pay money and, on social media too, there’s no rule.
“The first time they attacked us we came out with document.
“But they (social media users) don’t verify.”
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