By Faustinus Nwaorgu
…At the time Amaechi left office, R/S was getting less than N10b monthly allocation
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has expressed dismayed that two years after the 2015 elections, Gov. Nyesom Wike is still carrying on with his style of campaigns full of bare-faced lies and misrepresentation of facts to unsuspecting Rivers people.
The above was in reaction to what Governor Wike said day ago.
The governor yesterday (Sunday) told the Synod of Anglican Church in the house of God that the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was receiving between N27b and N30b monthly federal allocation while the present federal government has cut the allocation for the State under his administration. He blamed the alleged move on attempts to sabotage his government.
The APC in a statement today said, “Firstly, if the Amaechi administration received anything close to N25b during his 8-year tenure it must be for less than 6 months in his first tenure when Nyesom Wike was Chief of Staff to former Gov. Chibuike Amaechi. That was when oil price was at its highest and the over 300 oil wells taken away by the Goodluck Jonathan government were still property of Rivers State.
“For more than three years of the Amaechi second tenure after Soku and other oil wells had been taken and transferred to other states coupled with dwindling oil prices and production levels, the government then was receiving less than N10b monthly allocations up till 2015.
“If Gov. Wike is receiving less than N10b allocations today, he is in part responsible for the fate the State is facing. He encouraged the Jonathan administration to take away Rivers oil wells believing that he was undoing Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. It would be recalled that the former governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi had earlier warned Gov Wike of what he (Wike) is complaining about today. Now, the chicken has come to roost, Gov. Wike should deal with it and save us his display of verbal indiscretion.
“More significantly is the fact that Gov. Nyesom Wike, having successfully concealed the budgets of Rivers State from the people for the second year, has also refused to tell Rivers people that Rivers State last month received the highest sum of N14.5b Paris Loan Refund from the Buhari administration.
“Instead of applauding the Buhari government for several bailouts funds, prompt refunds and general concern for the finances of states of Nigeria, Rivers State inclusive, Gov. Wike has rather chosen to bite the finger that feeds him. This is not surprising; after all, the governor has always been that especially to his benefactor, Chibuike Amaechi.
“The APC believes that Gov. Nyesom Wike is merely diverting attention from being transparent with the finances of Rivers State by making misleading statements to Rivers people even in the hallowed house of God.”
