Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government of shielding the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi from prosecution over misappropriation of proceeds from the sales of some the State assets.
The governor said it is disingenuous for the Federal Government to flag off a narrow-gauge railway from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world is building a standard gauge railway.
Governor Wike stated during the commissioning of 6.1km long, 7.3m wide Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri link Road in Aluu Ikwerre Local Government Area on Wednesday.
The governor said it is appalling that the Federal Government has continued the shield of the Minister of Transportation from prosecution for his inability to account for $308 Million from the sales of the State-owned power plant and other critical assets when he was the Governor of Rivers State.
Wike noted that it is because the federal government is protecting the Minister that he has consistently made efforts to undermine the State government by influencing who is to be posted as Commissioner of Police and General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army to Rivers State.
“People gave you an opportunity. You sold our properties, everything. And people are talking in this State because of the Government that says they are fighting corruption and protecting people. You (Amaechi) sold our property for $308 Million and kept for us $208,000. That is the kind of people parading themselves in government, for a government that says they are fighting corruption, shame.”
The governor urged the people of the State not to be deceived by the antics of the APC government following the flag off the narrow gauge rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. According to him, the project flag off is politically motivated.
“I heard people came to Rivers State to flag off narrow gauge (rail) when the world is talking of standard gauge. What they are giving Rivers state is narrow gauge because I challenged them, show us what you have done for the people of the State. So, what they will do is to come and say okay, since you are complaining let us come and give you that narrow gauge.
“Instead of giving us the standard gauge to Maiduguri and they are making noise about it. Rivers State, the treasure base of the nation, the State that they used their money to produce their President. Towards the end of their administration is when they come and tell us of narrow gauge railway.”
He added: “You want to finish the narrow gauge in 33 months. Will he be in power then? I am going to finish every project I have awarded, this Government will finish it.”
The governor explained that the proposed University of Transport in Ubima, Rivers State, is deceitful because the Minister of Transportation lacks the capacity to see the project through.
According to him: “Since 2015 it is now you want to go to Ubima to build University of Transport.”
Governor Wike said despite Amaechi’s vehement opposition to his political aspiration to govern the State in 2015 and 2019, he had been elected twice as governor.
“They said we will not be governor, we taught them lesson in politics. In 2015, they said over their dead body will we be governor, am looking for the dead body. 2019 they said we will not be governor, that they are in power. I said you are not in power, God is in power. We defeated them. They are small kids in politics.
He further added: “But let me warn the man who thinks he has President, he has soldiers, he has police, you should have learnt your lesson by now , that when God has left you there is nothing you can do again.”
However, the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) accused Wike of abusing the immunity clause and asked him to go and prove his case in court.
The party’s spokesman, Ogbonna Nwuke, said: “It is not the first time that Wike will come up with such wild allegations.
“This man talks before he thinks and believes that because he is a governor and enjoys immunity he can say anything against anyone at any time.
“The person he is accusing of corruption had a clear agenda and Rivers people know. He had budgets that people could see. He had projects that went through due process.
“But the one who is accusing him of corruption hides the budget of the people from the people. And he has the audacity to get into the public space to open his mouth and close as he likes.
“Knowing Wike the way I know him right from the time we were appointed at the same time and we served the same government, the first time the EFCC came to Rivers State under the administration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi it was because of Wike.
“If he says hate Amaechi is corruption he should go to court. Is the court also protecting Amaechi from prosecution? He set up the Omereji committee, what did the committee find? Nothing.
“Yet he continues to parrot his mouth saying anything he likes. Let him go to court and prove it. He is the Head of the government”.
