APC to Senate: Disregard Amaechi’s indictment


The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday threw its weight behind former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi asking the  Senate to disregard  his indictment by a judicial commission of inquiry  over alleged  corruption.

The APC  opined that petitions against  Rotimi Amaechi  should  not  stop his screening.

According to APC National Secretary, Mallam Mai Malla Buni, the petitions do not amount to conviction.

The Senate until now had not screened  Amaechi, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Hajia Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) and Hajia Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Kaduna).

Their screening is expected to hold between today and tomorrow.

Buni, who spoke exclusively with The Nation last night, said the party would support all the nominees irrespective of the petitions against them.

He said: “On this ministerial screening, the party is behind all its nominees. That is why the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and key members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have attended the screening of nominees to give them moral support.

“As far as we are concerned, the  petitions against some nominees cannot stop their screening because petitions are not court verdicts.

“A mere petition cannot be a conviction. These nominees are not guilty until otherwise  proven by a court of competent jurisdiction. We are throwing our weight behind the nominees.”

Security has been beefed up at the National Assembly Complex ahead of today’s ministerial screening