By ‘Dotun Akintomide
Again, the two political gladiators in Rivers State have drawn daggers at each other after being caught in another war of words following the allegation coming from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has created a new cult group in the state ahead of 2019 general elections.
Wike had on Monday alleged that Amaechi, who is also the immediate past governor of the state has inaugurated a new cult group which has started regrouping with the aim of creating security crisis and tension in the state with 2019 in focus.
The governor asked the security agencies to call the minister to order just as he vowed that the group would be resisted by the law-abiding people of the state.
Reacting to the grievous accusation, Amaechi, described as“gubernatorial madness” the allegation by Governor Wike that he (Amaechi) created a new cult group in the state.
Amaechi also asked the governor to be ready to face the wrath of the law after leaving office and ultimately the wrath of God when no constitutional immunity could protect him from, The New Diplomat had gathered in a statement.
In a statement released by the Chibuike Amaechi Media Office on Tuesday said, Wike had continued to display unabatedly “his exclusive and uncommon strand of gubernatorial madness when he attempted to link his mentor, benefactor and predecessor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a sponsor of cultists in Rivers State.”
The statement entitled:“Again, Governor Wike Goes Mad,” said the governor’s new cult fabrication against Amaechi fitted into his (Wike)“style and pattern of distraction and obfuscation- tell a lie to distract, and then tell another lie and another lie to distract our attention from the previous lie, creating an endless web of lies, confusion and deception.”
It said it was the same pattern of telling blatant lies with no proof or intention to prove his claims, adding “Sadly, this is the kind of irresponsible, reckless, disgraceful garrulous, scallywag conman that presides over the affairs of Rivers State.”
Amaechi in the statement, accused Wike of craving for attention and always wanted to be seen in the media as someone who is “exposing and fighting” him.
“However, we will burst his bubble this time and will not indulge him or dignify his crass stupidity,” it said.
“If he has any sense, Wike ought to know by now that no one takes him seriously anymore, especially whenever he makes those cooked-up vile, malicious allegations against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
“This his new concocted story is not any different from the previous numerous false allegations he has made against Amaechi.”
The statement brought to notice that, only recently Governor Wike made an allegation that the over $43 million found in an Ikoyi apartment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were stolen Rivers State funds kept in the apartment by Amaechi.
It said Wike also lied that the luxury Ikoyi apartment belonged to the minister and wondered if the governor wanted the minister to forget.
“But we won’t forget. We remember vividly that on the night of Friday, April 14, during his hurriedly arranged shambolic press briefing, Wike had threatened the President Buhari administration with fire and brimstone, vowing the mother-of-all legal action against the Federal government if the over $43million was not given to him within seven days.
“His 7-day ultimatum had long expired, yet no action, whether legal or otherwise by Wike to prove his malicious allegations and claim to the money.
“On Friday, May 6, when another opportunity was opened for Wike to prove his frivolous allegations against Amaechi and claim the money before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos; neither Wike nor his lawyers were anywhere near the court to claim the money. Again, another no show.”
Also, according to the statement Wike, “used his lackeys and minions like former President Goodluck Jonathan campaigner, Femi Fani-Kayode, Lere Olayinka (an aide to Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State) and one Senator George Sekibo who like a clown, foolishly blew a whistle on the floor of the senate to push his (Wike’s) false, malicious narrative of Amaechi’s ownership of the Ikoyi money.”
It said Nigerians were sick and tired of the governor’s “shameful spectacles, his nuisance value of wanting to entertain us regularly, with different frivolous stories about Amaechi.”
Amaechi through the statement stressed that any fresh attempt by Wike to distract Nigerians from his earlier false, politically motivated allegations against Amaechi on the over $43million Ikoyi money, would be frustrated.
The statement read, “We will continue to remind Wike and insist that he must go to court, like he vowed (as he goes, he can also take his minions and lackeys with him), to prove his frivolous claims that the over $43million Ikoyi money and luxury apartment belongs to Amaechi and were stolen from Rivers State by Amaechi; or be ready to face the wrath of the law at the appropriate time (constitutional immunity for governors is not for life) the wrath of the people and ultimately the wrath of God, which no constitutional immunity can protect him from.
