*Rivers state govt. petitions Minister of Defence, others over Ex-governor’s plot to unleash violence during polls
*Declares today public holiday, to release N570m for youths
*Says drinking with N50m weekly better than destroying homes
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike yesterday, alleged that the reason why his predecessor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi desperately wants the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Tonye Cole to become governor of the state was “to frustrate their ongoing prosecution for theft.”
Wike stated this in a statement yesterday.
According to Wike, “If Amaechi has any modicum of conscience, he will know who actually should be accused of stealing state’s resources.”
The statement noted that Amaechi, “who is yet to recover from the devastating political blow inflicted on him since 2015, by governor Nyesom Wike, has of recent developed a penchant for making spurious and baseless allegations against the Rivers State governor.”
It added: “It is rather ludicrous for the former Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi, who is standing trial with his crony, Tonye Cole for embezzlement of $50 million belonging to the State government, to turn around and accuse Governor Nyesom Wike of stealing.
“It will be recalled that Amaechi had surreptitiously sold Rivers State government assets including the gas turbine power stations built by the Dr Peter Odili’s administration to Tonye Cole’s company, Sahara Energy at the sum of $308 million.
“This money was paid in December 2014. By the time Governor Wike assumed office on 29th May, 2015, what was left in the account was $308,000. Until date, Amaechi had been unable to account for $307,692,000.00 being proceeds from the sales of the turbines.
“Curiously too, under Amaechi’s watch, the sum of $50 million was transferred from Rivers State government in Access Bank to Sahara Energy. It is for these reasons that he is being prosecuted with Tonye Cole.
“It is ironical that Amaechi, who sold Rivers State owned Olympia Hotel to Tonye Cole and squandered over N50 billion on now abandoned one kilometre monorail to pretend that he loves Rivers State.
“There is no doubt that the reason why Amaechi desperately wants Tonye Cole to become governor of Rivers State is to frustrate their ongoing prosecution for theft.
“If Amaechi has any modicum of conscience, he will know who actually should be accused of stealing state resources.”
In a related development, the Rivers State government has petitioned the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff and other relevant authorities not to release army personnel to Amaechi or any politician to interfere in Saturday’s election.
Wike, in a state broadcast yesterday, said the state government decided to petition the aforementioned based on credible intelligence indicating plans by Amaechi and the APC to overrun and disrupt the Saturday elections in Rivers State with army personnel and civilian thugs and cultists dressed in army and police uniforms.
The governor alleged that Amaechi , who alongside Cole, were indicted by a Judicial Panel of Inquiry for fraudulently acquiring the State’s valued assets and diverting the state’s $50,000,000.00 to themselves, want to unleash violence during Saturday election.
“We have written to notify the Hon. Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, and the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, and requested that no military personnel is released to Rotimi Amaechi or any other politician to interfere with next Saturday’s elections in Rivers State.
“Furthermore, we have noticed that the Anti-terrorism Unit of the State Police command continues to provide VIP security services to politicians in defiance of the Inspector-General’s order to withdraw all police personnel attached to VIPs during the elections.
“We, therefore request the Inspector-General of Police to enforce his order by ensuring that all political leaders are restricted to their polling units and prevented from moving about with police escort,” he added.
Wike also requested the security agencies arrest and prosecute l27 local politicians he alleged were plotting to disrupt the elections with armed thugs, cultists, and gangsters in military and police uniforms.
Wike said the State government expects the security high command to live up to their assurance of providing adequate security beef-of throughout the state to forestall any security breaches or breakdown of law and order during and after the elections.
“We assure everyone that we will do everything within our power to resist and prevent a repeat of what happened in 2019 when the Nigerian Army was used to rig, kill our people and destroy property during the elections across the state,” he added.
The governor urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to guarantee and ensure that next Saturday’s elections are free, fair, and credible, by allowing the electorate to decide their leaders.
Governor Wike stressed that with the quality of progress his administration had delivered in the last eight years, it was evident that Rivers State would be more outstanding and closer to fulfilling its purpose if the current development tempo is strengthened and sustained for the next four years.
Meanwhile, has promised to release the sum of N570 million to the youths of Rivers state for the construction of their permanent secretariat and accumulated subventions.
This was sequel to the request by the state Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Mr. Chijioke Ihunwo, urging the governor to consider the plight of the youths and released the longed accumulated grants.
The NYCN state chairman, while speaking at a solidarity rally convened by Tony Okocha in Port Harcourt, in support of Fubara in the governorship election, reminded the governor at the event of the N70million accumulated subventions.
Ihunwo said the youths were happy for the reduction of insecurity and level of infrastructure development in the state.
He demanded that the 10,000 jobs be reserved to the youths and not political godfathers, saying that, “Any attempt by any politicians to submit list for the 10, 000 jobs will be resisted.”
Reacting on the request by the NYCN, Governor Wike said the youths leadership would handle the allocation of the 10,000 jobs.
Wike further asked the state leadership of the National Youth Council of Nigeria to follow right away to the Government House and collect their accumulated subventions totalling N70 million.
He then announced that N500 million be released to start the construction of what he called a befitting state secretariat in Port Harcourt.
Reacting on the accusation of him spending N50 million to drink alcohol weekly, Wike said he would drink more instead of using his money to destroy families.
“Somebody said I spend N50 million to drink in a week, but it is better than spending the money to destroy homes. I like to enjoy myself. They are angry that I want to drink 40 years whiskey to celebrate Fubara’s victory, this time I will bring 80 years whiskey for the celebration”, Wike boasted.
