… Alleges That Minister Sold Rivers Property For $308M And Kept $208
GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike on Wednesday accused the Federal Government (FG) of shielding Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi from prosecution over alleged misappropriation of proceeds from sales of state assets while Amaechi was governor.
Wike, again stoking the feud between him and his predecessor further termed as disingenuous of FG to move for narrow gauge railway from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri when rest of the world has upgraded to standard gauge.
The governor expressed the concerns during commissioning of 6.1km Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri Link Road in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
He said of Amaechi, “People gave you 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 $308 Million and kept for us $208,000. That is the kind of people parading selves in government. For a government that says they are fighting corruption, shame.”
On the Bonny-Maiduguri rail project, he said, “I heard people came to Rivers to flag off narrow gauge (rail) when the world is talking of standard gauge. They are giving Rivers 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 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 they come and tell us of narrow gauge railway.”
He added: “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.”
He equally envisioned proposed University of Transport in Ubima, Rivers as deceitful on notion that the Minister of Transportation lacks capacity to see the project through. According to him: “Since 2015 it is now you want to go to Ubima to build University of Transport.”
He further stated, “They said we will not be governor, we taught them lesson in politics. In 2015, they said over their dead will we be governor. I 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.