Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi has said that ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan picked a quarrel with him because he refused to support an increase in subsidy payments.
Amaechi also said that under the regime of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, subsidy payments amounted to N300 billion but they rose to N1.9 trillion during Jonathan’s administration.
The former governor made the comments on Sunday, August 2, 2015 during a dinner organized in his honour in Abuja.
Amaechi said:
“When the trouble between me and the former President started, as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the oil subsidy was N300bn under President Obasanjo. It remained the same under Yar’Adua. Six months of President Goodluck Jonathan, the oil subsidy rose to N1.9trn. Is it that the country now doubled its population or bought more machines or started manufacturing?”
“As the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I was in a position to get my own share of the N1.9trn, but I chose the part of honesty and truth; you cannot catch me being dishonest.”
“There was a time I walked into a meeting with the former President (Goodluck Jonathan) and in the meeting, the argument was that they wanted more money for oil subsidy. As the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I stood my ground and told the then President I was not going to support that.”
“He asked me why and I explained that we are already in court with you on the issue of fuel subsidy. The ex-President abused the hell out of my life. I have huge respect for the President, but the only thing that made me disagree with him was on the issue of the management of the country’s treasury.”
