by Azeez Adeniyi

Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaech.i has said governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike has gone “mad again.”

He was responding to an allegation that he (Amaechi) is a sponsor of cultist groups and activities in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday, Amaechi urged Governor Wike to approach the court.

“Yesterday, the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike continued to display unabated, 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. And as usual, Wike did not provide any shred of evidence to prove his claims.

“We know that Wike craves attention and always wants to be seen in the media to be “exposing and fighting” Amaechi. However, we will burst his bubble this time and will not indulge him or dignify his crass stupidity. 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.

“Again, Wike’s new cult fabrication against Amaechi fits into Wike’s 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.  Same pattern of telling blatant lies with no proof or intention to prove his claims. Sadly, this is the kind of irresponsible, reckless, disgraceful garrulous, scallywag conman that presides over the affairs of Rivers State.

“Wike wants us to forget that only recently, he made an allegation that the over $43million found in an Ikoyi apartment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were stolen Rivers State funds kept in the apartment by Amaechi. Wike had also lied that the luxury Ikoyi apartment belonged to Amaechi.

“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.

“Nyesom Wike, also 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. Nigerians are sick and tired of Governor Wike’s shameful spectacles, his nuisance value of wanting to entertain us regularly, with different frivolous stories about Amaechi.

“This fresh attempt by Wike to distract Nigerians from his earlier false, politically motivated allegations against Amaechi on the over $43million Ikoyi money, will not fly.

“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,” the statement concluded.