The Rivers Support Initiative, RSI, has disowned Rt. Hon. Chibuike
Amaechi, Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, over a statement said to
have been credited to him, in which he allegedly claimed that Rivers
Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike procured 150 hotel rooms in Lagos for guests
in celebration of his award as the Best Nigerian Performing Governor in
2016, on Saturday by The Sun group of newspapers.
In a statement signed by Barr. Collins Ibekazi Enyindah, Secretary General
of Rivers Support Initiative, the group described as unbecoming and petty,
Amaechi’s attacks targeted at discrediting and distracting the purposeful
administration of Governor Wike in Rivers State.
“How can a sane person wake up to the figment of his own imagination to
raise such an unfounded allegation knowing the same to be untrue,
particularly when on the day of the said occasion, the hotel allocated
only 17 rooms to Governor Wike and his guests, as other awardees were said
to have also taken up available spaces in the ever busy hotel”, the group
argued.
The Non Governmental Organization, NGO, also warned Mr. Amaechi, who they
alleged lives in a glass house not to throw stones, as doing so will
insult the sensibilities of the Rivers people.
The statement added that it may also provoke the sense of reminiscence of
the people of how over 1.8 trillion naira of tax payers money was
allegedly siphoned by Amaechi while he was governor of Rivers State to
finance the formation of the fragile contraption called APC, and for which
he was personally rewarded with the office of Minister of Transportation,
described as a grade A ministry for his personal benefit.
RSI further posited as follows: “We only hope the Minister realize that
the era of carting away people’s money to finance interests that have no
direct benefit on Rivers people is over. Our people will certainly no
longer tolerate a man who has since abandoned them, without even a hut in
his village to establish affinity.
“It is obvious that Mr. Amaechi has lost his bearing, and there is a total
disconnect with Rivers people and what is happening around them, and
should concentrate on the job given to him in Abuja for which Rivers
people are expecting him to attract legitimate benefits due them as of
right and leave Governor Wike alone to concentrate on the good works he is
doing in the state, and for which the Acting President appropriately
nicknamed him ”Mr. Project”.
“Talking about recklessness in spending of public funds, coming from a
man who was associated with reckless spending of public funds while in
office as Governor of Rivers State can only amount to a kettle calling a
pot black”, the statement added.
The group further advised the former Governor of the state to keep off
Governor Wike or face the wrath of the entire Rivers people who are
pleased that his time in charge of the state is over for good.