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Tag: Wike

  • PDP can’t shut Amaechi out of political space – APC

    PDP can’t shut Amaechi out of political space – APC

    The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) Friday declared that the witch-hunting and sponsored probe against the former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is a waste of time.

    The state Deputy Chairman of APC, Prince Peter Odike while addressing the press Friday at the APC state Secretariat in Port Harcourt, said the plan for Wike led PDP in the state is to shut Amaechi out of political space which he said is impossible.

    Odike said the commission of inquiry set up by Wike and the petition to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) against Amaechi were all ground plan orchestrated  by the PDP and their cohorts to deny Amaechi appointment from President Buhari’s administration.

    The party recalled that, Amaechi, the former chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum for solid eight years resisted the pressure mounted by some unpatriotic elements backed by the former President Goodluck Jonathan to control the resource of the state.

    He alleged that PDP plan to politically pull down Amaechi was intensified in the month of August when they realised that President Buhari is expected to name members of Federal Executive Council and other strategic appointments.

    “I am calling on the elders, young men and women of Rivers State and indeed  the Niger Delta Region to rise in union and to tell these few actors represented by the current occupants of the Brick House especially PDP in the state that the sound of their drums is of war.

    “They want to shut out Amaechi out of political space but they can’t because their plans are evil. Their actions are becoming inimical to the progress in Rivers State. They are not happy that Amaechi fought the political battle of his life to ensure Buhari’s victory at the poll.

    “We therefore enjoin the good people of Rivers State to discountenance this ill-motivated selfish and devilish campaign of calumny against the great son of Niger Delta. Rivers people should refuse to be part of any gang –up geared toward destroying what Amaechi has built in the state.”

     

  • Tribunal dismisses PDP’s, Wike’s opposition to change of chairman

    Tribunal dismisses PDP’s, Wike’s opposition to change of chairman

    About two months after it began sitting in Abuja, the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal opened hearing yesterday in the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate Dakuku Peterside challenging the election of Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The tribunal’s proceedings had been delayed by a series of preliminary applications filed by the respondents to the petition – Wike, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Also yesterday, a new Chairman, Justice Mohammed Ambrosa, resumed at the tribunal to replace Justice Mu’azu Pindiga.

    Following the development, respondents queried and sought that proceedings in the petition begin afresh.

    Respondents’ lawyers, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) and Chris Uche (SAN), representing Wike and PDP, queried Justice Pindiga’s replacement.

    Ukala, who told the tribunal that he was appearing in protest, gave the tribunal the options of either adjourning the matter to enable his team consult on what to do or start the proceedings afresh.

    He said: “We are worried because yesterday (Wednesday), a number of newspapers published a story that there were subterranean moves by some powerful forces to implement changes in the election tribunal. We got here this morning (yesterday) to find out that the story was not a mere hallucination but a reality that is starring at us in the face.”

    Uche said the sudden change of the tribunal’s chairman could threaten “a fundamental pillar of confidence in justice administration”, which he said was “rooted in transparency”.

    The petitioners’ lawyer Akin Olujinmi (SAN) said his team was only aware of Justice Pindiga’s replacement at the resumption of proceedings yesterday.

    Olujinmi said he had no reason to protest the change of the tribunal’s chairman because the petitioners had lost time.

    He said: “We also came in this morning to find out that a new chairman has been posted to head this tribunal. On our side, we cannot question your obedience of the order posting you to head this tribunal.”

    Justice Ambrosa dismissed Wike’s and PDP’s protests, saying the tribunal could not afford to waste more time.

    The chairman noted that since the tribunal had 180 days to determine the petition, it must conclude its sitting by October 30.

    He noted that as a result of the earlier delay and with trial just starting yesterday, the tribunal would have just five days to prepare its judgment when parties conclude their cases.

    Justice Ambrosa ordered the petitioners to open their case.

    Most of the witnesses called yesterday were APC collation agents in some wards.

    They said elections did not hold in their areas because of the violence by armed thugs allegedly loyal to the PDP.

    The witnesses include Jack Olugu, John Koottee and Alabrabra Jappalli.

    They insisted that the unfriendly atmosphere allegedly created by the PDP’s agents prevented the conduct of the election in their areas.

    Hearing resumes today.

  • Rivers: 1,100 to testify for INEC, Wike, Peterside

    Rivers: 1,100 to testify for INEC, Wike, Peterside

    BARRING any last-minute changes, the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja will start hearing evidence from witnesses today.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, are challenging the declaration of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Nyesom Wike as the governor.

    Peterside and his party want the tribunal to call for a re-run on the basis that there was no proper election in the state.

    Wike and PDP insist the election was free, fair and credible and should stand.

    About 1,100 witnesses are expected to be called.

    The APC and Peterside will call 200 witnesses and tender material evidence to prove its case. INEC intends to call 400 witnesses; although Wike was reluctant to attach a number to his intended witnesses, the tribunal has ordered him to call only 300 witnesses within the 10 days allotted to him to conduct his case. The PDP intends to call 200 witnesses also.

    The tribunal has also specified the time each witness will spend. A star witness has been allotted 85 minutes – examination-in-chief, 30 minutes; cross-examination, 40 minutes and re-examination, 15 minutes. Ordinary witness is expected to spend on 20 minutes – examination-in-chief, 5 minutes; cross-examination, 10 minutes and re-examination,  5 minutes.

    The tribunal has said it will sit at 10am every day, including weekends, if necessary.

    The legal teams of the two parties are optimistic of carrying the day. While exiting the tribunal’s sitting venue on August 28, lawyers representing the disputants, on being told that the tribunal intends to commence trial today, expressed their readiness for the next phase in the tribunal’s proceedings.

    Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN) leads the petitioners’ legal team, while Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) leads Wike’s legal team. Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who leads the team of the petitioners – APC and its candidate, Umana Umana – at the Akwa Ibom State governorship tribunal, is leading PDP’s team at the Rivers State governorship tribunal, with Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) as head of the INEC team.

    As the tribunal opens trial in the petition, a lot of issues will be revealed, which will determine the eventual decision of the tribunal at the end of the day, the major being the quality of evidence led by parties.

    Although the petitioners have, so far, survived all land mines thrown their way by the defendants, they have also had rulings given against them on some vital applications.

    On many occasions, the tribunal headed by Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, refused moves by the respondents to truncate the hearing of the petition.

    First, they challenged the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja from Port Harcourt for security reasons and demanded its return to the Rivers State Capital. They had insisted that it was wrong, by virtue of the 2005 decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Ogboru against INEC, it was wrong for a tribunal to sit outside a state where election was held to decide a dispute from such election.

    The tribunal resolved the issue against them by holding that the tribunal’s relocation to Abuja on security ground was in order.

    Second, the respondents challenged the constitution of the tribunal and its jurisdiction to hear the petition. Their argument was to the effect that the tribunal, having wrongly constituted, lacked the powers to hear the petition by APC and Peterside.

    At a point too, the respondents also challenged Peterside’s locus standi (right to sue), arguing that he was not validly elected a candidate of his party. It was their contention that the APC did not serve INEC the mandatory notice of its primary 21 days before the primary was held.

    The tribunal resolved this set of issues raised by the respondents against them, following which the petitioners applied for the issuance of prehearing session notices on parties.

    Again, the respondents raised objection, faulting the petitioners’ application for prehearing session notices. The respondents argued that the petitioners failed to pay the requisite fee for its application.

     The petitioners, in a counter-argument, insisted that no fee was required for such application, a position the tribunal upheld and dismissed the respondents’ objection.

     It has not all been victory for the petitioners as the tribunal had, on some occasions, refused the requests by the APC and Peterside. The tribunal turned down the petitioners’ request to direct INEC to move materials used for the election to Abuja to allow ease of inspection.

    The petitioners had complained that the respondent had consistently frustrated their (petitioners’) effort to inspect the materials and obtained certified-true-copies (CTC) in line with the leave granted them on June 11, 2015 by the tribunal. There were allegations to the effect that INEC officials, working with thugs’ influenced by the PDP and Wike, had on some occasions, attacked petitioners’ officials and experts, who were at INEC’s office to inspect election materials.

    The last request by the petitioners was for an order compelling INEC to allow them scan, photocopy the election materials.

    The tribunal, in a ruling on August 28, held that granting the petitioners’ request will amount to it varying its subsisting order for inspection made on June 11.

     Now that parties have been able to streamline issues at the pre-hearing session, the picture of what the trial process will look like is now fairly clear.

     The petitioners have formulated three issues for the tribunal’s determination in deciding their petition. They are as follows:

     *Whether, from the pleadings and evidence led in the petition, the governorship election held on April 11 this year ought to be invalidated and a fresh election ordered, for reasons of various acts of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, the INEC manual for election officials 2015 as well as INEC guidelines and regulations for the conduct of the election.

    *Whether, from the pleadings and evidence led by the petitioners, the governorship election for Rivers State held on April 11 this year ought not to be invalidated by the tribunal and a fresh election ordered for reasons of various acts of corrupt practices that marred the conduct of the election.

    *Whether, on account of the first two issues, the petitioners have established that the 2nd respondent (Wike) did not score the majority of lawful votes cast in the election to be declared winner by the 1st respondent (INEC).

    INEC, on its part, raised three issues also. They are: Whether the petitioners have established that the 2nd respondent was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the election; whether the petitioners have established that the election was invalidated by issues of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, which substantially affected the result of the election, and whether the petitioners have established that the election was invalid by issues of corrupt practices.

  • Wike/Amaechi rift: What manner of probe?

    Wike/Amaechi rift: What manner of probe?

    Controversy has continued to trail the activities of the Commission of Inquiry set up by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to probe his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. A section of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) believes that the investigation is necessary to foster accountability. But, many indigenes have cried foul, saying that the governor set up the panel to humiliate his former boss because he collaborated with progressives in other geo-political zones to abort the second term ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan. EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the politics of the probe and the crisis it has unleashed on the Southsouth state.

    The probe of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi is generating ripples. Governor Nyesom Wike, who set up the Commission of Inquiry to investigate his predecessor, has explained that Amaechi has a duty to shed light on the finances of the state when he was in charge. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has hailed the probe, said that it is a moment of accountability.

    But, many indigenes have objected to the probe, saying that the governor is full of vendetta.  The investigation, in their view, was meant to dent the image of the former governor. They argue that,  a credibility crisis is being orchestrated by the PDP to discourage President Muhammadu Buhari from nominating Amaechi for any position in the Federal Executive Council. Between now and the time the President will name his cabinet, the campaign of calumny will intensify in the media to pull down the former governor.

    According to the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike is afraid of the rising influence of Amaechi, who is perceived as one of the heroes of democracy. In a statement, the APC Chairman, Davies Ikanya, said: “These retrogressive forces, led by Governor Nyesom Wike, are so afraid of the shadow of Amaechi to the extent that they are willing to go to any length to ensure that he is not accommodated in President Buhari’s cabinet.” The party chairman said that it is ironical that Wike, who rode to power through a flawed electoral process, has raised a panel to probe his successor.

    Four years ago,  Wike and Amaechi, were political allies. Wike, a lawyer, was Amaechi’s Chief of Staff. During the second term battle, he was also the Coordinator of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation. Little did the two friends know that they will part ways, ahead of the last general elections. Their political difference has polarised the Southsouth state. While Amaechi defected to the All progressives Congress (APC), following protracted rift between him and former President Goodluck Jonathan, Wike became the arrowhead of the PDP in Rivers. Amaechi worked for President Buhari’s success at the poll. But, he was succeeded by Wike, although the battle has now shifted from the ballot box to the court.

    On the campaign podium, Wike had threatened to probe his former boss. When he was sworn in, he unfolded a plan to carry out a forensic audit of government accounts. He said the probe is consistent with the anti-corruption crusade of the APC-led Federal Government. Amaechi challenged him to carry out the threat.

    On June 19, the governor set up the panel. The commission is headed by Justice George Omereji. Other members are Dr. Edith Chukwu, Chief Monday Ekekenta, Ven. Alex Isifo and Elder Ignatius Piegbara. Reacting to the setting up of the panel, Amaechi said it was not set up in good faith, adding that it was a sham  and fraudulent witch-hunt to deceive the people. “All the noise Wike is making is to grab media headlines with his lies of monumental corruption against Amaechi. It is all drama made for the media. What is playing out is a script written and directed by Nyesom Wike. Wike should move to Nollywod where his devious skills would probably be useful. While it is no longer in doubt what would be the report of Wike’s sham probe commission, what may shock Nigerians is the extent Wike has gone and is ready to go to manufacture stories of corrupt practices and the kind of bogus tales of corruption against Amaechi that he would soon be feeding the nation,” he added.

    It is not the first time Amaechi will run into storm in his political career. When he vied for the governor, powerful forces nearly denied him the mandate. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said his ambition had k-leg. He survived. The second term battle was also fiercely fought in Rivers. At the end, he was victorious. His second term was turbulent. The former President, Jonathan, and his wife, Dame Patience, who hails from Rivers, moved against him. At a public function, the former first lady snatched the microphone from him. Later, the police, led by Joseph Mbu, became a thorn in his flesh. He was even denied entrance into his office. The battle shifted to the House of Assembly. Efforts to impeach Amaechi unlawfully were resisted. Despite the awesome presidential powers, he triumphed.

    The on-going probe is another phase of his political life. Efforts to stop the probe has failed. A court has affirmed the right of the governor to probe the previous administration. A High Court Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, said the panel was set up, not to investigate the former governor in person, but his defunct administration.

    However, many stakeholders have picked holes in the investigation. Former Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Worgu Boms described the probe as a comedy of errors. He accused Wike of bias, saying that he has demonstrated prejudice. He also alleged that some members of what he described as ill-conceived and ill-motivated panel, have their bias towards the former governor.

    His counterpart in the Ministry of Information, Mrs. Ibim Seminitari, described the probe as an unnecessary diversion from subsisting electoral issues. Besides, she said the probe cannot dent Amaechi’s image because he lived up to expectation as governor. The former commissioner said that the people will always applaud the achievements of the governor in the last eight years. “These achievements are visible in all sectors,” she added.

    Amaechi, who has never underestimated Wike’s capacity for politicking, reasoned that the governor set up the probe to create more crisis so that stakeholders can bring the two sides to reconciliation. He said, since Wike knew that he got to the State House through fraudulent election, he decided to witch-hunt him so that he can yield to pressure to withdraw the suit against his victory. Amaechi said that the APC and its candidate, Hon. Dakuku Peterside,  will now bow to pressure to abandon the case.

    Explaining why he has refused to appear before the panel, the former governor said the panel is illegal. “He has not complied with the law in setting up the panel. The rule of natural justice and fair hearing is not adhered to. You sit down and you tell a man, ‘go and find him guilty openly. He is guilty; go and investigate him,” Amaechi stressed.

    The former governor denied the allegations of corruption. He said Wike should reflect and examine himself before throwing stones. He challenged anyone to name any account in his name, except his official salary account and the FCMB account. When the time is ripe, he promised to open upon Wike.

    Amaechi said: “The funny thing about the young man is that he knows that I know him. I know Nyesom Wike up to his companies.; Zico, Easy E. I was his governor and I have documents to show that he is a contractor. I have Wike’s account details. But, you don’t reply him by saying, you see, you are a thief, see what you stole. It will appear like I am a thief, but you are also a thief. So, what you do is to say no, I am not a thief and I don’t know what this man is talking about.

    “Rivers people forget so easily, and I annoys me. During the campaign,  I named the roads that nyesom Wike did and abandoned. He is reconstructing some of them after we have paid him and no Rivers man is talking or asking, except the young boys who are replying him on the social media.”

  • ‘Wike fulfulling his promises’

    ‘Wike fulfulling his promises’

    Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah is the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Rivers State Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike. In this interview with Precious Dikewoha in Port Harcourt, the state capital, he speaks on Wike’s achievements and the ongoing projects executed by the administration.

    Many people have described the road projects by Governor Wike as a way to attract the public sympathy in case the Rivers State Election Tribunal nullifies the election. Is it true?

    That is not true; first and foremost it is the constitutional responsibility of any government to initiate projects that have direct impact on the people. But, whatever tendentious interpretation people are trying to weave in, I wish his predecessors find themselves in similar situation to have done what he is doing. Probably, if they had done it, Wike wouldn’t have been doing it now. Because, those projects would have been taken care of. So whatever it is, this is the dividends of democracy. The people are yearning for it, and that is what he is dishing out. What is wrong in carrying out projects that would endure you to the heart of the people? As a governor is he supposed to carry out projects that would scare people away from you? You are to carry out projects that would make people to love you and like you that is why it is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. To have voted him into office they must have appreciated certain qualities in him. So it would be wrong to go there and betray the confidence reposed on him. As a voter and as a man seeking for vote there is a social contract already, it must not be in black and white. And during electioneering campaign you must have promised the people something, is there any particular time to fulfill those promises. Of course, there is no such law that he should begin the massive development after the tribunal has fulfilled the litigation process. So Wike has started, he has  set the ball rolling, there is no time to waste, he took off from the inauguration ground where he declared operation zero pot holes in Port Harcourt. You can testify that governor Wike has turned  Rivers State to construction site, what we used to hear in Akwa-Ibom is what we are seeing in Rivers State today.

    Don’t you think it is too early to appraise Wike’s achievement?

    No, it is not, if within a very short period a man has achieved this much then I think the ‘pull down syndrome’ should stop. Let us rally around him and encourage him so that he will do more. Are we talking of the backlog of pensioners entitlement that cumulated to eight months, remember that all efforts to pay the pensioners by the immediate past administration fell on deaf ears.  What about the salaries of civil servants that Wike cleared? Which one would you talk or leave, what about the scholarship, the students were sent abroad and abandoned callously? Monies that were meant for them were fictitiously spent. Where are you going to start from? We all know that our roads became death traps, most of them impassable, and this is a man that has come to salvage the state. Because we became despondent in Rivers State, you could see frustration on the faces of everybody, but today there is joy in the land because you have the righteous and it is said, when the righteous rules the people rejoice.

    You believe we can’t capsize with Wike as the captain of the ship?

    Of course, instead we should expect more, it is a continuous process; I can’t sit down here and tell you that this is what you are going to witness in Rivers State under the administration of Chief Nyesom Wike. All I know is that all facet of the state would be touched. Not just the road network, he has already taken a step to build and renovate schools in the state. He just completed the faculty of law building in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, the project started during the military era and was abandoned but today the people are rejoicing. He has touched many areas,  if you say Wike has cleared the backlog of pension and if your family or relative is not a pensioner you would not feel the impart. But it would have an impact on the beneficiaries who appreciate the need to have someone like Wike. That is why some people may not know that Wike is doing better in other sectors of the state. When a governor is insensitive to the plight of the people there would be crisis even in the family. You can image that you have a brother among those on scholarship and he cannot write exam over there, will you be happy with the government? But because everybody has access to road that is why people thought it was only road project that is going on in the state.  Even in the health sector he is doing wonderfully well. He has restored calm in the traditional institutions with the amended law.  Because there were so much rubble and bickering, before now the sanctity of our traditional institution was profaned by the former governor for egocentric reasons. Even the traditional rulers are now happy because they find out that he has touched almost all the facet of life. But, what readily come to mind are the roads and the bridges, because even the blind uses the road, the death also uses the road; by conveying the corpse to his or her internal resting place.

    What is the controversy on the alleged empty treasury about when the former governor said he left something in the bank?

    This is one issue that had been over flooded; I don’t want to be embroiled with such issue. If the past administration said they left so much amount like N7.5billion or N10billion as they claimed. Inconsistency alone obviates their claim, because before now they said N10billion and later they said it was N7.5billion the inconsistency alone obviates the need that there is no truth in the assertion.

  • ‘Wike’s probe of Amaechi, a distraction’

    ‘Wike’s probe of Amaechi, a distraction’

    Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s Media Office, in this piece, argues that Governor Nyesom Wike is chasing shadow by probing his predecessor.

    Again, our attention has been drawn to comments by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, where he attempts to justify his fraudulent, sham probe of the immediate past governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and distort our statement on the amount of money Amaechi left in the State treasury.

    No matter how hard Wike tries, the public can clearly see through his fraudulent deception and the sham he calls Commission of Inquiry to probe Amaechi. That panel was set up to indict Amaechi of corruption. Everything about the probe commission is at variance with the ethics and laws of a fair, just and unbiased probe commission.

    Indeed, the hack panel has not disappointed its paymaster since it started its shambolic public hearings. As we earlier warned, it is a comedy to grab media headlines with bogus, phantom and fabricated claims of corrupt practices against former governor Amaechi. The public hearings have become a comedy of errors for the media. We maintain that Wike’s probe commission shall not achieve anything beyond political excitements, entertainment and theatrics.

    However, what the public may not know is that Wike’s deceptive probe of Amaechi is a distraction to entertain and keep the public focus on his circus show, while he siphons and salt away billions of naira from the State treasury. From the moment he stepped into Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike has run a government of lies, deception and fraud.

    He first made a show and gave a performance of his false accusations that Amaechi stripped the Governor’s Lodge bare, saying that the former governor stole spoons, plates, knives, cups, mattresses, forks and even curtains from the Governor’s Lodge! However, in the images Wike showed to back his lies, the curtains in the lodge were clearly there, seen and intact.

    Wike then claimed he met a completely empty treasury. That again is another big lie and grand deception to steal state funds. We have said that former governor Amaechi left billions of naira and we even went ahead to mention the banks and give the names of the accounts the money were, as at May 29, 2015.

    We repeat that N7.5billion cash were left behind as balances in the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) account with Skye Bank, FAAC account with Zenith Bank, balances with Access Bank and funds in the State reserve fund account in First Bank. This is besides other balances in the state Government House account with Zenith Bank and other government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) accounts, like the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP). Amaechi left N939 million naira in the Commercial Agric Credit Scheme Account in Zenith Bank. By the time you pull all these balances together, we are looking at readily available cash in the region of eight to ten billion naira left for the Wike administration. We have mentioned banks, account names and funds left in the accounts. These are facts that cannot be distorted by Wike.

    If Wike says he’s not lying that he met an empty treasury, we challenge him to publish the statements of these government accounts that we have mentioned and other Rivers State government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) accounts as at May 29; to prove his claim and show the public that Amaechi left an empty treasury for him. But, we dare say, he will not because he runs a government of lies, deception and fraud, always wanting to hoodwink the public as he siphons billions of naira of State funds.

    Rather than this comedic, puerile and silly distraction he calls probe commission, Wike should explain to Rivers people what happened to the funds Amaechi left, the N30 billion naira loans he took under 30 days and other funds that has accrued to Rivers State since he became governor. Amaechi left a legacy of accountability; Rivers people expect nothing less from Wike.

  • Wike, Amaechi disagree on corruption, witch-hunt

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have disagreed on the governor’s anti-corruption crusade and the alleged witch-hunt of his predecessor.

    Amaechi said Wike, who was his former Chief of Staff and director-general of his campaign organisation in 2011, had been releasing government’s documents to show that his predecessor was corrupt.

    But the former governor insisted that he did not like stealing.

    Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, alleged that Amaechi was corrupt.

    Amaechi, a former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said he would not appear before the judicial commission of enquiry Wike inaugurated to investigate his administration in the last 18 months.

    The former governor described the panel as illegal.

    But Inko-Tariah said: “It is laughable that Amaechi will call illegal a panel that has already been declared lawful by a court of law. This means, as at when he questioned its proprietary in court, he thought the court would declare it illegal but was shamed. This is no media trial and the government will not be embroiled in any war of attrition (with Amaechi).

    “He (ex-governor) should defend himself, just as Dr. Peter Odili (ex-Rivers governor) did during the Justice Kayode Esho’s panel. Media trial will not vindicate him (Amaechi), as the sentiment he is trying to whip up has failed.

  • Wike, Amaechi disagree on corruption

    Wike, Amaechi disagree on corruption

    The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, have disagreed on corruption and witch-hunt.

    Amaechi, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, declared that Wike could make as much noise and release as many documents as he liked, saying he did not like money and stealing.

    Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, on Sunday in Port Harcourt, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, insisted that Amaechi was corrupt.

    The ex-governor, however, stated that he would never appear before the members of the judicial commission of inquiry put in place by Wike to investigate his administration in the last 18 months, describing the panel as illegal.

    Inko-Tariah said: “It is laughable that Amaechi will call a panel that has already been declared lawful by a court of law illegal. This means as at when he questioned its proprietary in court, he thought the court would declare it illegal, but was shamed. This is no media trial and the government will not be embroiled in any war of attrition.

    “He (Amaechi) should go and defend himself, just like Dr. Peter Odili (ex-Rivers governor) did during the Justice Kayode Esho’s panel. Media trial will not vindicate him (Amaechi), as the sentiment he is trying to whip up has failed.

    “On the issue of corruption, the allegations preferred against Governor Wike are puerile, sweeping and risible. He (Amaechi) has cases of corruption to answer and he should not think this will distract the public. Wike has no skeleton in his cupboard to earth.

    “Wike is concerned with the development of the state and getting Rivers people to enjoy the dividends of democracy, which he promised them and for which they freely and gleefully gave him their mandate. We will not join issues with a contradiction of paradox like Amaechi, who claims he left N7.5 billion in one forum and in another N10 billion.”

    Amaechi, as a special guest of honour at the mass for the dedication of magnificent St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church at Elechi Beach, Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, on Saturday, stressed that Wike should not be taken seriously.

    The ex-Rivers governor revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience, an indigene of Okrika in Rivers State, and Wike wanted him out as governor at all costs and they had everything, except God.

    The inauguration, which had in attendance the Rivers governorship candidate of the APC during the April 11 election, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, and many leaders of the party, was presided over by the Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese of the Catholic Church, Most Rev. Camillus Etokudoh.

    Amaechi said: “If not for your prayers, I probably would have been an ex-governor a long time ago. The ex-President (Dr. Jonathan) wanted me out at all costs. The present Rivers State Governor (Wike) and the former President’s wife (Dame Patience) wanted me out at all costs and they did everything they did, they had everything, except God.”

  • I won’t fail Rivers residents, Wike pledges

    I won’t fail Rivers residents, Wike pledges

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said his administration will not fail the people.

    The governor assured that his leadership would sustain ongoing development projects and programmes across the state.

    Addressing Christian faithful during the 23rd anniversary of Royal House of Grace in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Wike said his administration was anchored on God and would always work for the people.

    According to him, he became governor with the prayers of men of God and his faith in God, despite the challenges he face during campaigns.

    He said: “I will not fail the people of Rivers State.  This administration will continue to deliver on all fronts.

    “If not for God, I would not have emerged as governor. If it had been for money, there was no way I would have become governor.”

    Wike noted that despite the financial challenges his administration was facing in paying workers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements, his administration had overcome the challenges.

    The governor he had cleared the backlog of salaries, pensions and was executing projects.

    He said: “You have a responsible government that will continue to listen to the people. We shall continue to improve and we will always take cognisance of constructive criticism.”

    Evangelist Uma Ukpai described Wike as God’s answer to the people’s prayers for development.

  • Rivers APC slams Wike over comments on caretaker chairmen

    Rivers APC slams Wike over comments on caretaker chairmen

    Following a remark by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike , that the newly-inaugurated local government chairmen fight over funds, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the statement as unbelievable, saying it is a confirmation that the state has ended up in a ‘one chance bus’.

    Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the APC said the statement by Wike was a sign that the state was in deep trouble.

    The governor had been quoted as saying, ‘Don’t behave like the kind of CTC (caretaker) chairmen we are appointing, who always fight over funds. The chairman would go to bank with the council treasurer for funds, while the members (caretaker) would ambush them.’

    Reacting to the statement, APC said: “Few weeks after Barr. Nyesom Wike was inaugurated as governor of Rivers State and he earnestly embarked on a borrowing spree, the Rivers State chapter of the APC came out to warn that Rivers people had ended up in a ‘One Chance Bus’ with Governor Wike as the driver.

    “Typical of the infamous ‘one chance’ phenomenon that leaves tears and blood in its wake, the passengers (this time the people and residents of Rivers State) are destined for either loss of personal effects and belongings or outright crash, in which only the driver and his cohorts manoeuvre themselves to safety, with the loot from the people, dead or alive.

    “On Thursday, Governor Nyesom Wike, while inaugurating the re-constituted Rivers State Pilgrims Welfare Board, told the world that he appointed thieves as caretaker chairmen and members.

    “Most worrisome to the APC is the fact that Governor Wike only mentioned something as grave as that, just in passing. The continuous nature of his statement clearly shows that Governor Wike has no remorse for his indiscretion in appointment.”

    The APC also recalled that about two weeks ago, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, after observing the persons appointed as caretaker council chairmen and members by Wike, raised the alarm about the kind of persons being appointed.