Rivers State Governor and Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, of giving $1m (N199m) monthly to the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. Amaechi, who spoke on Saturday at a praise and worship session organised by the Ikwerre Youth Movement and Ikwerre Women Forum at Isiokpo, headquarters of the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, explained that Wike was giving the money to the President’s wife in order to gain political favour. The governor said:
“Do you know that the PDP governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, has been giving one million dollars monthly to the wife of the President, Mrs Patience Jonathan? He has been doing this to gain political favour in the Presidency and to retain the favour.
“For eight years, our Okrika brother (Senator George Sekibo) has been occupying the senate (Rivers East) seat and now it is the turn of an Ikwerre son, but Nyesom Wike has gone ahead to accept another four years for George Thompson Sekibo. This is not acceptable, Chief Andrew Uchendu will take over this time, one man called Nyesom Wike cannot sell Ikwerre birth right.”
He also accused Wike of sponsoring the killing of an APC member, who was shot dead recently in the home town of the PDP candidate, saying the police had been biased and could not arrest the PDP hoodlums who committed the murder. Reacting, Wike, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Simeon Nwakudu, described Amaechi’s allegation as false and asked him (Amaechi) to respond to the allegations of corruption against him. He said:
“Our attention has been drawn to another desperate press statement issued by outgoing Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, where he falsely accused the Rivers PDP governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, of paying the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, one million US Dollars monthly.
“This allegation is completely false and simply aimed at diverting the attention of the public from the monumental corruption under Amaechi’s leadership. Wike has always been an upright administrator and politician, who is committed to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria.
“Wike has published documents of mass corruption in Government House, Port House, and the entire Rivers State Government under the guidance of Amaechi. The outgoing governor should respond to these documentary proofs of corruption, rather than cooking up false allegations to distract attention.
“Amaechi has wasted over N3tn that have accrued to Rivers State, a large percentage of the funds being expended on the sponsorship of APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, and the APC.”