Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has alleged that the immediate former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi wasted N54billion on the abandoned monorail project in the state.
Governor Wike, who made the allegation at the New Year State banquet held in Government House, Port Harcourt, was reacting to claim that Rivers State has been badly governed since 2015.
Governor Wike also disclosed that Amaechi was yet to account for the $308 million proceeds from the sale of the State gas turbine power stations to Sahara Energy, which is allegedly co-founded by Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Tonye Cole.
“Who’s behind Sahara? The one he is presenting to be governorship candidate.”
He described the closure of courts in the State for nearly two years by the past administration of Amaechi as a coup against the judiciary.
He regretted that Nigeria happens to be the only country where those who violate the sanctity of the third arm of government go unpunished.
Governor Wike said it was preposterous for his predecessor, who closed courts for almost two years and denied people access to justice, to accuse his administration of poor governance.
“There will be bad administration if there is no good governance. What is good governance ? There cannot be good governance if it is not predicated on the rule of law and due process. Who can you actually accuse of bad administration? We came to this State in 2015. There was no court.
“There was a coup against the third arm of government. It is only in Nigeria where you can stage a coup against the judiciary and you will go free. Nobody can stage coup against the judiciary in any developed society and you go free. You can never. You deny people liberty, you deny them access to justice,” he said.
Governor Wike said it was ludicrous for Amaechi, whose eight years reign in office epitomised maladministration, to accuse his government that is hinged on rule of law of bad governance.
“I am happy that even if we did not achieve anything, we did not shut down the courts. I did not drag the legislature to Government House to pass budgets,” he said.
He also took a swipe at the National Assembly for confirmation of Amaechi as a minister, despite his alleged atrocious attack against the judiciary while as governor of Rivers State.
“You suffered a whole State not to have access to justice and nobody is saying anything. It is only in this country where I see parliament can even screen somebody to be a minister that had shut the gate of justice,” he said.
According to the governor, “We came, opened the court. Who was the first person that rushed to court when the court was opened? The same man who closed the court, the man who denied other people liberty.”
Wike observed that Amaechi often brag about building modern secondary schools while in office, explaining thata report of the Rivers State economic advisory council set up by Amaechi had denounced citing of the schools in locations far from the communities.
The governor noted that any government that provides the people infrastructure, but deny them liberty and access to justice could best be described as a failed government.
Governor Wike listed the dualised Saakpenwa-Bori Kono road , Ahoada-Omoku roads, Egbema-Omoku road, Nigerian Law School, Port Harcourt campus, Trans-Kalabari road and several other projects as some of his landmark achievements.
The governor commended the legislative and judicial arms of government for working in synergy with the executive for the collective good of Rivers people.
