The Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has condemned the spurious allegations levelled against him by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, especially on the alleged plot to destroy the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Amaechi’s successor, Wike, who was his Chief of Staff between 2007 and 2011, when the then Rivers governor recommended him (Wike) to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment, at a campaign rally in Rivers state on Thursday, accused the transportation minister of working against his Southsouth brother (Onnoghen).
The Director-General of Buhari/OsInbajo Reelection Campaign Organisation, on Friday in an online statement through his media office, stated that he read with dismay and utter disgust, Wike’s senseless allegations.
Amaechi’s media office said: “This is another blatant lie (plot to destroy Onnoghen), just to smear Amaechi and put him on collision course with the judiciary. Ordinarily, we would not have bothered to respond to a governor (Wike), whose stock-in-trade is to concoct stories and lie about almost everything and anything. Wike completely lacks any shred of credibility. Nothing is sacred to him
“Amaechi is not a judicial officer and he is not part of whatever is happening in the judiciary. We challenge Wike to mention the name of the APC’s chieftain he falsely alleged that Amaechi discussed the ‘destruction of the CJN with.’
“This Wike’s latest attack on Amaechi is reminiscent of his earlier spurious allegations during the Ikoyi-Osborne-gate scandal, where Wike disgracefully opened his mouth to shamelessly allege that the former Rivers governor (Amaechi) was the owner of the $13 billion and the owner of the Osborne apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, where the money was kept. Wike lied that the money was stolen from Rivers State government’s treasury.
“In Wike’s usual chicanery, up till today, he has refused to go to court to claim the $13 billion found in the Ikoyi apartment, which he claimed was Rivers money stolen by his predecessor. Even when a court of law openly asked anyone laying claim to the money to come forward and collect it, Wike ran far away from the court.”
The transportation minister also reminded Rivers governor that the immunity he currently enjoys against prosecution for his many libellous attacks on him would not last forever.
Amaechi’s media office also said: “At the appropriate time, he (Wike) will no doubt face the full wrath of the law and ultimately that of the Almighty God.
“Wike should by now know that Nigerians are tired and are no longer interested in his ranting and cock-and-bull stories against Amaechi. Indeed, it is pathetic and a big shame that Wike does not know that Nigerians already know him as an incurable, incorrigible compulsive liar and do not take him and/or his comments seriously any longer.
“Wike’s outburst against Amaechi is diversionary. Rivers governor knows too well that he has nothing to show Rivers people for his almost four years in office, in a state obviously with one of the highest allocations, thereby resorting to casting aspersions on Amaechi, instead of telling the people what he has done for Rivers State.”
Transportation minister also called on Rivers people and other lovers of democracy to ignore Wike, whom he described as a frivolous and deceitful character, who is obviously drunk on power and always high on alcohol.
