Wike, Amaechi Trade Words Over Alleged Corruption

….mocks FG’s narrow gauge railway project

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the All
Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of shielding the
Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi from prosecution for
allegedly misappropriating proceeds from the sales of some the
state assets.

The governor said it was disingenuous for the Federal Government
to commission the rehabilitation of a narrow-gauge railway from
Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was
building a standard gauge railway.

Wike spoke during the inauguration of 6.1km long, 7.3m wide
Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri link Road in Aluu Ikwerre Local
Government Area on Wednesday.

The governor said it was appalling that the Federal Government
had continued to protect Amaechi from prosecution for his alleged
inability to account for $308million from the sales of the
state-owned power plant and other critical assets when he was the
Governor of Rivers State.

Wike noted such protection emboldened the minister to
consistently made efforts to undermine the state government by
influencing postings of the Commissioner of Police and General
Officer Commanding, the Nigerian Army to Rivers State.

He said: “People gave you the 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
$308million 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 narrow gauge rail
line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri saying the project was
politically motivated.

He said: “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 a 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 the narrow gauge railway.

“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, was deceitful because the Minister of
Transportation lacked the capacity to see the project through.

“Since 2015 it is now you want to go to Ubima to build
University of Transport”, he said.

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 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.

“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.”

In his remarks, a former Deputy Speaker, House of
Representatives, Sir Austin Opara, said at a time when the federal
and state governments were struggling with COVID 19, Wike was
inaugurating and commissioning projects.

He said: “Federal Government has relied on the disturbances of
COVID 19, states are grappling with the inability to pay salaries,
you are still commissioning projects, you are breaking grounds, you
are commissioning more projects. Indeed, it gives concern, what is
the magic.

“When you started, your critics what they were saying was that
even what he is doing, he is just working in Port Harcourt and
Obio/Akpor, you immediately started commissioning projects in
Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Khana, Akuku-Toru, Ikwerre, Emohua and many
other Local Governments, then they kept quite.”

Opara noted that the announcement that Rivers State would be
building a Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Centre worth N25bn
soon gladdened the heart.

He said in a civilized clime, the Federal Government should have
sent a delegation to Rivers State to understudy Wike’s government,
to indeed imbibe and learn the secret of his success.

“So, indeed I recommend to the APC led Federal Government to
send a high powered delegation to Rivers State to understudy the
infrastructural revolution that is taking place in the state”, he
said.

Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, said
the Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri road before the administration of
Governor Wike was a nightmare for residents and road users.

He explained that the reconstructed road 6.1km long, 7.3m wide
road complete with drains on both sides which measure 12.2km.

He said: “This road is of immense benefit to the 3 communities
it is named after, it is also of benefit to residents and people of
Choba community, it is of benefit to the students and staff of the
University of Port Harcourt, it is of benefit to land and home
owners in this area. It is of benefit to real estate development
within and around Aluu.”

….mocks FG’s narrow gauge railway project

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the All
Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of shielding the
Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi from prosecution for
allegedly misappropriating proceeds from the sales of some the
state assets.

The governor said it was disingenuous for the Federal Government
to commission the rehabilitation of a narrow-gauge railway from
Port Harcourt to Maiduguri at a time when the rest of the world was
building a standard gauge railway.

Wike spoke during the inauguration of 6.1km long, 7.3m wide
Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri link Road in Aluu Ikwerre Local
Government Area on Wednesday.

The governor said it was appalling that the Federal Government
had continued to protect Amaechi from prosecution for his alleged
inability to account for $308million from the sales of the
state-owned power plant and other critical assets when he was the
Governor of Rivers State.

Wike noted such protection emboldened the minister to
consistently made efforts to undermine the state government by
influencing postings of the Commissioner of Police and General
Officer Commanding, the Nigerian Army to Rivers State.

He said: “People gave you the 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
$308million 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 narrow gauge rail
line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri saying the project was
politically motivated.

He said: “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 a 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 the narrow gauge railway.

“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, was deceitful because the Minister of
Transportation lacked the capacity to see the project through.

“Since 2015 it is now you want to go to Ubima to build
University of Transport”, he said.

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 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.

“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.”

In his remarks, a former Deputy Speaker, House of
Representatives, Sir Austin Opara, said at a time when the federal
and state governments were struggling with COVID 19, Wike was
inaugurating and commissioning projects.

He said: “Federal Government has relied on the disturbances of
COVID 19, states are grappling with the inability to pay salaries,
you are still commissioning projects, you are breaking grounds, you
are commissioning more projects. Indeed, it gives concern, what is
the magic.

“When you started, your critics what they were saying was that
even what he is doing, he is just working in Port Harcourt and
Obio/Akpor, you immediately started commissioning projects in
Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Khana, Akuku-Toru, Ikwerre, Emohua and many
other Local Governments, then they kept quite.”

Opara noted that the announcement that Rivers State would be
building a Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Centre worth N25bn
soon gladdened the heart.

He said in a civilized clime, the Federal Government should have
sent a delegation to Rivers State to understudy Wike’s government,
to indeed imbibe and learn the secret of his success.

“So, indeed I recommend to the APC led Federal Government to
send a high powered delegation to Rivers State to understudy the
infrastructural revolution that is taking place in the state”, he
said.

Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, said
the Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri road before the administration of
Governor Wike was a nightmare for residents and road users.

He explained that the reconstructed road 6.1km long, 7.3m wide
road complete with drains on both sides which measure 12.2km.

He said: “This road is of immense benefit to the 3 communities
it is named after, it is also of benefit to residents and people of
Choba community, it is of benefit to the students and staff of the
University of Port Harcourt, it is of benefit to land and home
owners in this area. It is of benefit to real estate development
within and around Aluu.”