SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has filed a N500 million suit against Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, and Lere Olayinka, spokesman of Ayo Fayose, Governor of Ekiti state.
THEWILL had exclusively reported that the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had claimed ownership of the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 seized last Wednesday by the EFCC from Osborne Towers, a luxury residential complex in Ikoyi, Lagos, owned by ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Adamu Muazu.
Inspite of the revelation, Amaechi had been accused by the duo of owning the $43 million which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found in a Lagos residence last week.
In separate letters to Fani-Kayode and Olayinka by counsel to Amaechi, Lateef Fagbemi, the counsel insisted that the said allegations were false adding that his client has never owned a home in Lagos state, and that the ‘misleading information’ was capable of tarnishing Amaechi’s reputation.
Fagbemi declared that the publication constitutes a libel and is defamatory which is ‘aimed at impinging our client’s character and credit in the eyes of Nigerians and foreigners.’
“The story as uploaded by you is to our knowledge, blatantly false, malicious and is aimed at impeaching the credit of our client, a two-time speaker of the Rivers state of house of assembly, a two-time governor of Rivers state and current minister of the federation,” the letter read.
“Our client neither owns the house where the cash was found and your story and claim are unfounded.”
