Wike Gets N10b To Settle Patience Jonathan, Others—Rivers APC Chair

By Nwaorgu Faustinus

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, has accused the state governor, Nyesom Wike, of starting to milk state treasury dry with the approval of N10 billion by the state House of Assembly dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

This allegation was made in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday afternoon by the Chairman and made available to Aproko247.

Ikanya said in the statement that, “Wike has shamelessly confirmed our fears that he has no agenda for the development of Rivers State, rather than looting the common patrimony of the State with impunity, by influencing the State House of Assembly to approve the sum of N10 billion without the purpose of the approval being clearly stated.”

Rivers APC boss quoted one of the principal actors in the Assembly, who is unhappy about the development, as disclosing that the money is meant to be used by Wike to allegedly bribe members of the Tribunal hearing petitions arising from the March 28 and April 11 general elections in Rivers State.

“Part of the fund, we are meant to understand, is to be used to pay off the wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, Dr Peter Odili and others for imposing Wike on Rivers State against the wishes of our people and against the rotational principle that would have seen the Riverine parts of the State producing the governor after 16 years of rulership by the Upland parts of the State,” Iyanya said.

Wike, the party said, “Perfected this looting spree when immediately after his swearing-in ceremony on May 29, 2015 he locked out both the Permanent Secretary and the Chief of Staff, Government House, until May 31, to enable him loot the property in the Government House, after with he turned around to maliciously allege that former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, looted the place before leaving office.”

Rivers APC, however, vowed not to be blackmailed or intimidated, saying, “All these ploys notwithstanding, we wish to reiterate that no amount of thieving, misappropriation of public funds will deter us from fighting the evil cause Wike’s personality represents.

“Apart from trying to deny the Riverine areas of their right to produce the next Governor of Rivers State after Amaechi, his illegal imposition forebodes dangerous times for our dear State.

“Most importantly, we cannot give up the fight to avenge the blood of hundreds of our people killed in order to realise Wike’s mission to capture the Rivers Government House at all cost.”