Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has explained his role in the letter pertaining to the non-remittance of $49.8 billion oil windfall to the federation account.forwarded to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

In a statement issued by the media aide to the minister on Thursday, Amaechi condemned reports in the media, which indicated that he “surreptitiously and clandestinely” leaked the letter.

It said, “A concerned and patriotic Nigerian, who felt sufficiently troubled with what was happening then, gave a copy of the Sanusi’s letter to Amaechi, in Amaechi’s capacity as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). Like Amaechi, we should appreciate that concerned Nigerian’s patriotism.

“When Amaechi got the letter, he spoke with Sanusi, who was still the CBN Governor, to confirm the authenticity of the letter. Sanusi confirmed to Amaechi that he wrote the letter. During their conversation, Amaechi made it abundantly clear to the then CBN Governor that the bleeding of the nation had to be stopped, all non-remitted funds remitted and that he was going to use the letter to do whatever is in the best interest of the nation and Nigerians, which was the stoppage of the non-remittance and the recovery of all the non-remitted funds from oil sale. The CBN Governor did not agree with Amaechi on the way forward.

“Considering that the letter was given to Amaechi as Chairman of the NGF, he shared the letter with his colleague governors first, and with Senator Bukola Saraki (now Senate President), who before and around that period was doing some work or/and investigation around the oil sector in the Senate.