Ned Nwoko, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Senatorial Candidate for Delta North has accused Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike of grand corruption.
Naoko said Wike squandered the N60 billion the state got from the Paris Club refund.
The lawyer was responding to Wike’s claim that he opposed the $418 million payment to Nwoko which was the consultancy payment for the Paris Club refund.
In a statement on Saturday, Ned Nwoko Media Directorate described as cowardly, a video where the Rivers State governor, Nyesom made wild insinuations against Nwoko.
The statement read in part: “Characteristic of the garrulous governor, he carelessly dabbled again into the issue of the $418 million consultancy payments for Paris Club refunds, a legitimate entitlement of Prince Ned Nwoko, whose patriotic ingenuity, as a time-honoured lawyer, secured billions of dollars in favour of local and state governments, including Wike’s administration.
“Wike had in illogical imprudence chastised Ned Nwoko for laying claim to monies the international lawyer genuinely earned and approved by the federal government following various federal high court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judgements; federal government and presidential approvals and three separate EFCC reports supporting the payments.
“When have demands for professional fees duly sanctioned by statutory authorities and scrutinised by anti-corruption agencies like EFCC and DSS become “fraud”? We are appalled by Wike’s wicked and despicable wild goose chase.
“Ned Nwoko Media directorate asserts on the contrary that the Rivers State governor received a whopping share of over N60 billion from the Paris Club refunds to states, thanks to the sterner stuff of Prince Ned Nwoko who took the federal government to courts on behalf of the states and local governments over the arbitrary deductions and won. We have infallible evidence that Wike not only collected the huge funds but squandered the proceeds through phantom projects and frivolous travels around the world in crude obscene ego trips.
“Like discerning members of the public, we are aware of Wike’ s primitive hoarding of illicit loot for elections, a dubious game plan that can only be contrived by a man of opaque character. Wike spoke of corruption among some governors. Kettle cannot call pot black. A man with both hands stained with filthy lucre lacks moral justification to utter one word on embezzlement. To go sanctimonious is unpardonable criminality. Wike, no matter the pretence, has exposed himself towards jail.
“We need to remind Wike for the upteempth time, in case he has forgotten, that 25 innocent children on life support machines died in a Rivers State-owned hospital the same hour because the hospital could not afford electricity. He could not provide electricity, having diverted all funds to meaningless ventures for self aggrandizement. At the appropriate time, when his dictatorial reign on the high horse is over, he would surely answer charges of criminal negligence at the International Court of Justice for the sad deaths of those children.
“It is laughable that a man of monumental corrupt tendencies and wanton profligacy could so unabashedly talk when his activities connote unimaginable scam.
“Why cast childish attacks against Ned Nwoko? A towering personality who had consummated his career as a world-class lawyer in the 1990s in London when Wike was struggling as an obscure worker in a local government. Who was Wike when Ned Nwoko returned to Nigeria in 1999 to win the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency seat and mount the green chambers of the National Assembly as a distinguished member of the House of Representatives?
“That he was spoon-fed to become governor through godfather syndrome in 2015, desperately grabbing public funds to his chest, should not be a license to brag and bully. Let Wike disclose his source of wealth he now flaunts with arrogant vainglorious relish. Can he survive outside dirty politics?
“Wike’s claim against Ned Nwoko is hypocritical and duplicitous.
“On the alleged payments of 13% derivation to South-South states, his claim is fraudulent. He is trying falsely and maliciously to instigate the people against some governors. Wike postures deceptively in panic to cover his tracks on the well known serious open secret of his involvement in national economic sabotage through oil bunkering.
“If the governor’s mischievous vituperations on the Paris Club refunds are off key and unserious, his pedestrian shout on Ned Nwoko’s matrimony amounts to nothing. His false childish tantrums that the man has imaginary “20 wives” sounded like beer parlour gossip. Unbelievable from the lips of a governor! How neusating and condescending.
“But that is Wike, ever steered by gutter language and uncouth tempers. Wike is without doubt envious because he is clearly unable to father children. Is Wike embittered,
constrained by impotence of honourable deeds or spousal exploits? In matters of another man’s wives, why is the voice of the controversial loose cannon particularly shrill?
“Wike must summon courage to address these posers if he is truly man enough.
“Let Wike delude himself in a bogus gubernatorial robe. In six months’ time, he would descend into a commoner, stripped of all immunity, bare from boastful manners and haughty airs. Prince Ned Nwoko, a civil fellow who has never been on the street with Wike, would then compel him to answer questions about his litany of lies and corrupt misdeeds. He is poised, resolutely waiting to bring the Rivers State governor to justice very soon.
“Since Wike lost the PDP presidential ticket and failed nomination for Vice presidential slot because of his brash and unreliable temperament, he has been weeping, nagging on Television and every fora. Rather than lick his self-inflicted wounds remorsefully, he chose an inglorious path of blame game and transferred aggression. How pitiable for a fake emperor tumbling like the old nursery rhyme clown Humpty Dumpty.
“We hereby wish to emphasize for the avoidance of doubt that no external influence whether overtly or covertly moved Prince Ned Nwoko to challenge Wike’s excesses as the Star Prince of Anioma is a man of his own clout, unaffected and independent by nature.
“He is driven by the conviction as a pioneer and strong stakeholder in PDP, that an unhinged Wike, a latter-day political noise maker and opportunist has become a power-drunk bull in a China shop who must be decisively handled before he plots more divisive embarrassment.
“Remarkably, Prince Ned Nwoko with his unmatched exposure has all it takes to humble the Port-Harcourt talkative”.
