Former Rivers Commissioners and Local Government Council Chairmen Debunk
Gov Wike’s False Allegation Against Amaechi’s Wife
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.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. It is on record that several LGA projects then, including the new
secretariat of Port Harcourt City Council and Etche Council, were done by
Wike. 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
5. Governor Wike is indeed morally bankrupt and cannot point accusing
fingers at the wife of former governor Amaechi. In fact the then chief of
staff to Amaechi gave stern directives to council chairmen never to
support the activities of the wife of the governor.
6. 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
7. Gov. Wike lacks moral rectitude. He is bereft of ideas and has no
respect for his wife, hence this shameful attempt to drag the name and
reputation of the wife of his former boss into disrepute.
8. 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.
9. 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.
OJUKAYE FLAG AMACHREE
Former Chairman Asari-Toru LGA for all former Local Council
Chairmen during the Amaechi administration in Rivers State
FRED MBOMBO-IGWE
Former Commissioner of Sports for all former Commissioners during the
Amaechi administration in Rivers State