Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has alleged that his predecessor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, spent a whopping sum of $150 million dollars to finance the elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said the former governor spent the huge sum between December 1 and 18, 2014 to sponsor the national election campaigns of APC.
The governor made the allegation while speaking at a thanksgiving service held at Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, on Sunday.
Vowing to recover all the stolen money belonging to the state, he called for a comprehensive fight against corruption and canvassed support for the prosecution of all those who allegedly behind the looting of the state fund.
However, former Governor Amaechi described the allegation as a big, saying Wike’s day of reckoning was awaiting him and that he would soon account for all his deeds.
The former governor, reacting through the publicity secretary of Rivers APC, Mr Chris Finebone, said he was also sure that Wike only made the allegation to please his audience and would not take a step further.
“That is a big lie taken from the very depth of hell. Wike talks big and tough, but behind his tough-talking is a moronic coward.
“He won’t advance that accusation beyond the comfort of his audience. His deeds are awaiting him and at the appropriate time he’ll be held to account.
“If he is serious, let him go to court and summon Rt Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. But you can be sure that he won’t do because he knows that Amaechi is without blemish”, Finebone said in an sms.
Governor Wike had also disclosed that he would not have stood for a rerun election, if the Supreme Court had upheld the verdicts of the two lower courts which nullified his election as the state governor.
This, he said was because there was an evil plot to cause bloodbath, allegedly through the use security forces to instigate heavy loss of lives in the state.
Wike however said God worked to avert the danger, noting, “Nothing is impossible with God. Men of God prophesied, a few days to the Supreme Court that the judgment will confirm the mandate given to us by the Rivers people.
“We won the election clearly as has been confirmed by the Supreme Court. If there was a rerun, I wouldn’t have contested because there would have been bloodbath. I resolved not to be part of anything that would bring bloodbath,” he said.
The governor said a plot had been hatched to arrest and detain him to discourage the people of the state before the national and state assemblies rerun elections which had been postponed to March 19, 2016.
According to him, the political powers were already indiscriminately arresting leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the state, preparatory to the rerun exercise.
He however said the Supreme Court ruling had averted bloodbath in and restored the confidence of the people in the judiciary.
Wike restated his earlier declaration that he would not allow the rigging of the rerun elections in the state, warning that any INEC staff who attempts to rig would be treated as an armed robber.
“I am the executive governor of Rivers State and a strong one for that matter. We will support INEC to conduct credible elections. However, any official who plans to rig will get the treatment reserved for armed robbers”, he said.
In his sermon, Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province, Dr Ignatius Kattey, said the victory of Governor Wike at the Supreme Court had brought peace to the state and called on the governor to be the father of all the people of the state.
The thanksgiving service attracted notable PDP leaders across the country, including Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom State), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State) and the deputy governor of Ebonyi State.
Also in attendance were the former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, former Governors Peter Odili and Celestine Omehia, both of Rivers State, as well as federal and state lawmakers.
