By Our Reporter
Women in Rivers State have stated that the claims against Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of the erstwhile governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, were made out of ignorance.
Wike had while appearing on a live television programme alleged that Amaechi’s received N4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for empowerment programmes.
Wike had claimed that the said money which was paid to the former governor’s wife, was mismanaged, calling on President Bola Tinubu to publish the report of the forensic audit conducted in NDDC.
The women wing of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State said the claim was a ruse and made out of ignorance.
This position was contained in a statement in Port Harcourt signed by Mrs. Beatrice Dappa Amobi, the State Women Leader, APC, Rivers State
Amobi exonerated Amaechi of such allegations, urging the Minister to make efforts to ensure that the report on the forensic audit is published for the public to see sacks for themselves.
She said: “Amongst other characteristically wild allegations was the unguarded allegation about the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), paying the sum of Four billion naira monthly for 1yr to Dame Judith Amaechi, to train Niger Delta women. This is not only a big lie but we believe this is capable of attracting a generational curse.
“It is against this backdrop that the Women Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State chapter, Mrs.Beatrice Dappa Amobi on behalf of Party women and stakeholders, strongly condemn this vile allegation and describe it as claims made out of ignorance.
“We challenge Minister Wike to ensure the publication of this Report for the public to digest, we would be glad to see details of transactions attached to his claim; while we believe that legal and conventional actions must be taken to end the constant bullying and intimidation orchestrated by Minister Wike against other Nigerians.
“There is no way in the world that a firm, organization, parastatals, agency or institution of government can pay a whooping 4 billion naira monthly to an individual company for doing nothing!.
“We now can now see the genesis of the protracted political crisis in the once peaceful Rivers State. It is indeed regrettable that one man (Wike) has torn the joy and unity enjoyed by Rivers people into pieces, because of selfish political gains.”
Amobi stated that the allegation by Wike is a direct indictment on the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and an indirect way of showing lack of confidence in the administration of President Tinubu.
She said: ‘This is also the first time since the return of democracy that a member of the federal executive council (Minister), is abandoning his duty to take on another man’s wife on a national television. It is more worrisome that for 72 hours after the shameful public outing, we are yet to hear words of caution from the Presidency on the erring cabinet member.
Wike’s statement is an indirect indictment on Sen.Godswill Akpabio under whose watch that Forensic Audit was carried out and the Minister’s expression is an open endorsement of lack of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to perform his duties.
“Minister Wike’s current outburst which we hear is part of his strategy of venting over the continued stay of Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, whose loyalty is to the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, does not give a serving Minister the moral high ground to throw family values to the gutters.
” We are worried that 72hrs after Minister Wike queried Mr President’s political will to do what is right as Commander-in-Chief, no form of rebuke or disclaimer has been issued by higher authorities given the level of damage and embarrassment Mr Wike’s last outing on Channels television has caused the Federal Government of Nigeria.”