Former commissioners, LGC chairman in Rivers debunk Wike’s allegation against Amaechi’s wife
*Say “Amaechi’s wife didn’t demand or collect money from us”
All the former Rivers state Commissioners and Local Government Council Chairmen have debunked Governor Nyesom Wike’s allegation against Mrs. Judith Amaechi, wife of the Minister of Transport and former governor of the state.
Governor Wike had accused the former First Lady of the state of receiving between N2million and N3million from commissioners and local government Chairmen under her husband’s administration.
In a statement jointly signed by Mr. Ojukaye Flag Amachree, former Chairman Asari-Toru LGA for all former Local Council Chairmen and Mr. Fred Mbombo-Igwe, former Commissioner of Sports for all former Commissioners, during the Amaechi administration in Rivers State, the affected former officials said that the allegation by the governor was false and baseless.
The statement read in part: “The attention of former Chairmen of Local Government Councils and Commissioners in Rivers State during the administration of former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi have been drawn to a recent media interview granted by current governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, where Wike falsely accused Dame Judith Amaechi, the wife of our boss of extorting and collecting monthly, between Two and Three Million Naira from Commissioners and Local Government Council chairmen respectively, while her husband was the State governor.
“Realizing the magnitude and gravity of this allegation, the Council Chairmen and Commissioners deem it necessary to make this public clarification in the interest of our teeming supporters and Rivers people that Nyesom Wike, since his assumption to office appears to have a major agendum, which is to tarnish the sterling reputation of former Governor Amaechi, his erstwhile benefactor.
“He is bereft of ideas and unprepared for the task of governing a heterogeneous state like Rivers. Wike, while serving as the Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi interfaced regularly with Council Chairmen.
With this rare privilege and his avarice plus his corrupt tendencies, he elected to commit a lot of fraudulent and sharp practices including massive looting and various degree of financial extortion on the council chairmen and commissioners who felt hapless due to his perceived closeness to the governor as the chief of staff,” the statement read.
The former commissioners and local government chairmen then alleged that “On several occasions, Wike hiding under the subterfuge of his office as intermediary between the then governor and other elected or appointed public officials made financial demands and extorted money from council chairmen including arm twisting them to award contracts to him.”
They alleged it was on record that several LGA projects then, including the new secretariat of Port Harcourt City Council and Etche Council, were done by Governor Wike.
Continuing, they also alleged that Council chairmen and State officials were forced to contribute several millions of naira to Wike under the pretext of fighting his legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when he was arrested and tried for corruption.
“For the most flimsy excuses Wike placed hefty levies on council chairmen. Failure to pay are usually met with stiff sanctions,” the former commissioners and local government Chairmen alleged.
The statement further stated the governor had no moral right to point accusing fingers at the wife of former Governor Amaechi, adding that the as then Chief of Staff to Amaechi, Wike allegedly gave stern directives to council chairmen never to support the activities of the wife of the governor.
“We want to state that no Council Chairman either individually or as a group of chairmen or State Commissioners were told, coerced, intimidated, or persuaded to pay any money to the wife of the former Governor. And no money was given to her.
“Governor Wike is too economical with the truth and is in fact a pathological liar who should be ignored. His allegation is baseless, untrue, and a figment of his warped imagination.
“Former Council Chairmen and Commissioners who served under the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by this statement, therefore, warn Governor Wike against this disgraceful and disgusting mischief against the wife of Amaechi and urge him to tender an unreserved apology to the wife of the former governor immediately or be ready to face the consequences of his stupidity,” the statement concluded.
