SAN FRANCISCO, June 19, (THEWILL) – The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that during the tenure of Rotimi Amaechi as governor, council chairmen and commissioners were respectively made to pay N3m and N2m to the wife of his immediate predecessor every month.
He made this claim on Monday in a live radio interview in Port Harcourt, on the heels of the former governor’s criticism of Wike’s administration, at an occasion where he celebrated his (Amaechi) 52nd birthday celebration in the Rivers state capital.
The governor stated that his predecessor merely returned to the state to launder his image in view of the collapsed structure of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers.
Disclosing that Amaechi extorted money from commissioners and local government chairmen through his wife, he said, “When I was chief of staff to Amaechi, all council chairmen and commissioners were paying N3 million and N2 million, respectively, to Amaechi’s wife monthly”.
Wike added that his administration inherited over N37.9 billion debts from the Rotimi Amaechi administration, stressing that he would never make empty promises to the people because his administration is built on transparency, accountability and commitment to the welfare of the people.
“We inherited N14.7 billion as salaries and pensions from the Amaechi administration, which we cleared; N23.2 billion bank loan was also inherited and cleared by us.
“Another agriculture loan obtained by that administration was cleared by my administration,” he alleged.
The governor also reiterated that his administration would continue to deliver projects that would improve the living condition of the Rivers people.
He described as unfortunate, Amaechi’s statements on projects and programmes across the state, pledging that he would not deceive Rivers people.
“It is unfortunate that someone who was celebrating his 52nd birthday would tell Rivers people what is not correct.
“The immediate past administration abandoned projects by previous administrations. But, we chose to complete projects that they abandoned. We completed all the projects that will positively impact on the lives of our people.”
Wike further declared that APC is dead in Rivers, and alleged that plot to use security agencies to rig in 2019 will not work, “as the people would resist any form of electoral robbery.”
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