I know politicians who have suddenly become billionaires - Amaechi

A former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says some politicians have suddenly become billionaires.

Speaking at the fifth edition of the Nigeria Symposium for young and emerging leaders held in Lagos on Friday, the ex-Rivers state governor asked Nigerians to hold those they elect accountable. 

He also asked politicians to invest in infrastructure and create jobs in order to make crime less attractive.

“I know politicians who have suddenly become billionaires, and this is the money that should have been used to build roads and provide amenities that could have been used to improve the lives of citizens,” he said.

“Our politicians have to be clear about how they intend to lift people out of poverty.”

In a leaked audio in January, Amaechi had said the only way for the country to make progress is for “everybody to be killed.” 

“This country can never change, I swear. The only way this country can change is in a situation where everybody is killed,” Amaechi had said.

“This country is going nowhere. When Magnus (Abe) was the secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), I told him that this country is hopeless and helpless and he told me, ‘Oga, stop it’. This cannot be coming from a governor.

“But two months in Abuja, Magnus came to meet me and said, I agree with you; this country is hopeless and helpless. All they do in Abuja is to share money.”