Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says he did not come from a poor background like his rival and fellow Rivers State ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
He also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make public a forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), claiming it contains damaging revelations against former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Responding to a charge of corruption leveled against him by Amaechi, Wike admitted owning a Rolls-Royce car and that nobody gave him the luxury vehicle.
According to him, he used a Mercedes-Benz as a student.
He said: “I have a Rolls-Royce; nobody gave it to me; I bought it for myself. I didn’t come from the same background as Rotimi Amaechi. As a student, I was using a Mercedes-Benz.
“My father was the manager of so many companies. I come from a rich background but not too rich like the Dangotes.”
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, Wike vowed to resign as FCT Minister if the report did not indict Amaechi.
He accused Amaechi’s wife of receiving N4 billion monthly from the NDDC under the guise of training women in the Niger Delta, a claim Wike insists is detailed in the audit report allegedly suppressed by former Attorney General, Abubakar Malami.
“I’m calling on Mr President to please release that forensic audit. If what I am saying isn’t in that report, I will resign. I’m not attached to office,” Wike said.
He alleged that the former Transport Minister’s wife was no industrialist before the NDDC dealings and accused Amaechi of benefiting from contractors while he was Rivers governor.
Wike also took aim at Amaechi’s academic qualifications, describing them as unimpressive, while refuting claims that a senator gifted Amaechi a Rolls-Royce, insisting it came from a contractor managing a bulk of Rivers State projects during Amaechi’s tenure.
Wike maintained that the suppression of the NDDC audit report was orchestrated to shield those implicated and insisted Nigerians deserve to see the truth.
Former Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a scathing attack on his predecessor and political rival, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing Amaechi’s wife of misappropriating N4 billion meant for the training of Niger Delta women.
Wike made the allegation during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, where he addressed various political issues, including recent remarks by Amaechi, who had claimed seniority over him and demanded respect on account of age and political experience.
Responding pointedly, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s assertion, saying, “I think it’s very unfortunate. You should be respected because of the integrity you have and the honour you have, not because you are 200 years old. He cannot claim to be older than me just because he was Governor before me.”
The FCT minister went further to trace his political history, claiming he was already an elected local government chairman before ever meeting Amaechi.
“I want to say, with due respect, that I never knew Rotimi from Adams. In 1998, I contested for one of Nigeria’s most respected local governments, Obiakpor Local Government, and I won,” Wike stated.
He recounted how mutual associates allegedly aided Amaechi’s political career after an initial defeat.
Wike turned his attention to Amaechi’s wife, accusing her of falsely claiming the title of “industrialist” and linking her alleged financial activities to the yet-to-be-published forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“When did your wife become an industrialist? Which company does she own?” Wike asked.
“Let’s play politics; leave our wives out of this. I regret to bring her up here. She’s not an industrialist; selling does not make you an industrialist.”
Wike criticised Amaechi for allegedly using his wife’s business status for political grandstanding and questioned his rival’s regard for his spouse.
He said: “So unfortunate that a former Governor will say that because my wife is a trader, therefore, she is an industrialist. If you love your wife, why would you bring her up in this kind of discussion? I respect my wife; that’s why it’s very difficult for me to talk about women. How can a man who wants to become a Governor talk about his wife like that? I don’t think Amaechi loves his wife. If he loves his wife, he would not say that kind of thing about her.”
Wike, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to release the long-awaited NDDC forensic audit report, alleging that it contains details of how Amaechi’s wife embezzled billions of naira.
“I ask Mr President to release the forensic audit of the NDDC, to make Amaechi’s wife explain how she spent N4 billion naira on training Niger Delta women,” he said. “It was [former Attorney-General] Malami that killed that report. That’s how Amaechi’s wife became an industrialist — four billion naira every month to train Niger Delta women,” Wike revealed.
