Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has challenged his predecessor now Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to mention his contributions to the state in his capacity as a Minister.
Wike threw the challenge while reacting to Amaechi’s claim that he, Amaechi, is one of the best governors the state has ever had. While speaking at the funeral of Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, a former justice of the supreme court on Sunday, September 27, Amaechi complained of rising insecurity, bad roads, and intimidation of the judiciary in Rivers state.
“You have lost your voice. The sage (the late justice) has gone under and nobody is speaking. When I was governor, I gave people voices, but they have blocked those voices. Everyone is scared. We are going back to when Ateke held sway. We are going back to the period where we run away from our people. We are back to a period when nobody could speak. But from next year, I will begin to speak, if nobody wants to speak.” Amaechi said
Speaking in an interview with AIT on Monday September 28, Governor Wike challenged the former governor to mention one developmental project he has brought to the state as a Minister.
“Rivers people will ask you, what will you tell us. You’re doing rail to Niger Republic, which one have you done in your state?
As minister of education, I brought faculty of law to Port Harcourt. I brought N500 million grant to Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, I built so many schools. As a minister, I’m proud.
You’re a minister, tell Rivers people I brought this, mention one. If you mention one, I’ll resign now. Mention what you’ve brought to Rivers people to convince them. We’re too educated for you to go to Kalamari to incite them.
He said judges lost their voice. He’s right, why won’t they? A man who shut down the court for two years, NBA didn’t say anything. So, if he is now saying that NBA lost their voice, he’s right. Today, nobody talks about it that’s why he has the audacity to tell NBA they’ve lost their voice.
You went to a supreme court justice house to tell him the president is not happy with him, why won’t judges lose their voice?
I also heard him say he’s the best governor. I have no problem about that, he’s very right. If a man can close the court for two years, why would he not be the best governor?” Governor Wike said
Governor Wike in the interview alleged that Amaechi spent N12 billion in fumigating the state while he was in office and yet mosquitoes still bite people in the state.
“One of the things that made him the best governor, for fumigation of a state like Rivers state, we paid over N12 billion naira so that there would be no more mosquitoe. Today, mosquito is still biting me.
He is not one of the best, he is the best. Who would have done all he did without being the best?” he said
