Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, appeared before the senate for screening as a ministerial nominee, condemning acts of corruption and revealed that had never taken bribe in his life either as a private person or public official.
Amaechi who was asked to define corruption said, “Corruption is very difficult to define. If you are a public officer and you don’t take bribe, I’ve never taken bribe in my life but if they send a girl to you and you sleep with the girl and do her favour, you are corrupt.”
According to him, “Corruption is a very wide concept. If people are contesting for a position and you offer your son, brother or sister an opportunity to hold that position, probably the person is not qualified, you are corrupt. So, it is difficult for me to define corruption.”
He said the APC used anti-corruption to sell the Buhari brand to Nigerians.
Amaechi said, “We sold to the public the fact that there was massive corruption in the system and that there was the need to fight that corruption. We agreed that the only way to fight that corruption is to put a new government.
“So, we had to get a signpost candidate. The signpost candidate is a man who the Nigerian public has seen as an incorruptible president; that was why the party had to put President Buhari forward. We thought that there was a need to do things differently.
“I thought that as good as the former President (Goodluck Jonathan) might have been, I don’t think he was suitable enough for the growth and development of Nigeria. So, we needed to offer an opportunity to somebody we believe is better than the former President.
Amaechi denied being indicted by the Rivers State Government Commission of Inquiry instituted to investigate his stewardship as the governor for eight years.
He said, “There was nowhere I was indicted (in the judicial panel report). I was born to test my rights and fight for my rights, I was once a student union leader and believe me, if there is one man who does not like corruption, I do not like corruption.
“I came here with a copy of the so-called panel report, there is no where that the panel indicted me, I am ready to tender this report before the Senate. I was ready for the questions on it and I brought the panel report so the Senate can juxtapose it with the White Paper.
“However, because there are challenges, people in Nigerian politics believe that there is the need to compromise and be able to manage yourself around; I will do that but where it clashes with my principles I find it a bit difficult to do what people expect me to do.”
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