TheCable

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, has denied allegations of lobbying supreme court justices to alter the outcome of appeals made on the Rivers and Ekiti states governorship elections.

Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, a judge of the supreme court, had said the raid by the Department of State Services (DSS) on his home was due to his refusal to influence appeals in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A similar allegation had earlier been made by Justice Inyang Okoro, also a supreme court justice whose home was equally raided.

Describing Ngwuta’s allegations as “pure fiction”, Amaechi, in a statement by his media office, said it’s “a dubious diversionary tale concocted to muddle the very serious issues of his arrest and investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS)”.

The former Rivers governor said both judges had been conscripted in the ongoing plot to destroy him politically through every means possible.

“For emphasis, we want to state categorically that Amaechi did not and has never tried to lobby, induce or make the Hon. Justice Ngwuta to influence the outcome of any matter before the Supreme Court or any other court.

“The Hon. Justice Ngwuta’s narrative as it concerns Amaechi is simply not true, an unadulterated fallacy design to deceive and distract from the real issues of DSS investigation of acts of corruption against him.

“It’s indeed very sad and most unfortunate that the Hon. Justice Ngwuta had decided to drag the name of the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), into his fabricated allegations.

“Again, we make bold to state that Amaechi did not and has never lobbied, approached or attempted to make the CJN or any other Justice of the apex court to influence the Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers State and Ekiti State Governorship Elections petition appeals or any other matter before the apex court or any other court.

“Within a space of 48 hours, we have observed a carefully planned and coordinated political attempt to drag Amaechi into the DSS arrest and investigation of judges in Nigeria. The aim of the plot is two-fold: to smear and politically destroy the image and reputation of Amaechi, and deceitfully portray him as the person behind the arrest of judges. This is indeed most ridiculous and callous.

“We are aware of a well timed, heavily funded plot to “take out” Amaechi politically, and it appears that Justice Ngwuta and Justice Inyang Okoro (of the Supreme Court, who had also made similar made-up allegations against Amaechi), have wittingly or unwittingly been conscripted into this devious politics of “destroy Amaechi by all means.”

“Amaechi is not and cannot be behind the arrest and investigation of the Hon. Justice Ngwuta. He should kindly leave Amaechi alone and face the issues he has with the DSS.

“Amaechi is talking with his lawyers and will explore lawful channels to seek redress for this gross defamation against his character and person.”