President
Muhammadu Buhari has come under heavy criticism by foreign press for allegedly
appointing corrupt people in his cabinet.
Minister
of Transport, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and President Muhammadu Buhari
In
its latest article, DailyMail UK, a British online media platform has called
out the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi describing him as 'Nigeria's
ATM'.
According
to the report, Amaechi is accused of misappropriating £338million by a
commission investigating the sale of state assets.
Amaechi
is accused of diverting £140million of state funds into Buhari’s presidential
campaign, with reports he paid for media, consultants and private jets.
Here
is the full report titled "Is Nigerian leader's pal 'fantastically
corrupt'? Friend of African president accused of stealing £500million".
"When
David Cameron was caught on camera last week before an anti-corruption summit
describing Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt’, the African state’s president
rallied to the Prime Minister’s defence by agreeing with him.
But
although Muhammadu Buhari is seen by some as leading the battle against
corruption, worrying allegations swirl around one of his close allies.
Rotimi
Amaechi, who travelled with the president to the summit, is Nigeria’s transport
minister and is said to have bankrolled Buhari’s presidential campaign.
In
the Nigerian press he has been dubbed ‘ATM’ – the American term for cash
machine – because of his ability to produce vast sums of money at short notice.
He
remains in his post despite being accused of misappropriating £338million by a
commission investigating the sale of state assets.
Some
of that money is likely to have come from UK taxpayers, who gave the country
£1billion in aid over five years to 2014, including £248million in 2014 alone.
Separately,
Amaechi is accused of diverting £140million of state funds into Buhari’s
presidential campaign, with reports he paid for media, consultants and private
jets.
The
allegations come as the president stands accused of enjoying a lavish lifestyle
while many millions suffer in poverty.
A
leaked draft budget for 2016 showed the Nigerian government earmarked
£16million for the refurbishment and maintenance of the president’s official
residence, Aso Rock Guest House, in the capital Abuja.
There
was also a request for £13million for building a VIP wing at a hospital used by
families of the president and his ministerial team.
Mr
Amaechi has denied the allegations against him."
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