The Inter-ethnic Network for Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, INCRA, has described statement made by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, dismissing allegations by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, over commissioning of projects in the state as dubious and deceitful.
Theportcitynews.com reported that the minister of Transportation who also served as governor of the state for two tenures had during a grand reception organized in his honor by the Chiefs and people of Ishimbam General Assembly (IGA) in conjunction with the Free Rivers Development Initiative (FRDI) at the Freedom Square, Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, stated that some projects being commissioned by his successor were projects already completed by him during his administration.
He said Wike was taking credits for his administration’s achievements because he (Amaechi) did not place priority in commissioning projects.
However, reacting to statements credited to Amaechi during the commission of the Rivers State University college of Health science complex, Wike said that such claims made by his predecessor do not hold water as he will not leave any projects initiated and completed by his administration for anyone to commission them.
The governor who noted that instead of the minister to fight over projects initiated and completed by his administration, added that he should revamp the decaying Port Harcourt International Airport, the Onne Seaport and the Nigerian Port Authority in Onne.
Governor Wike also challenged Amaechi to name one thing he has done for the state since he became minister under the present administration saying that as minister of state for education, he brought faculty of law to University of Portharcourt, ensured that Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education got 500 million Naira support funds each.
But INCRA in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ubima, said that the governor is distorting facts, describing the governor’s statement as ‘reckless’.
According to the statement, INCRA said: “In his routine and usual show of theatrics, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, in a function at the Rivers State University claimed he made the University of Port Harcourt authority to include Law as one of its regular courses when he was the Minister of State for Education but that Chief Amaechi was yet to attract any meaning project or achievement to Rivers State as a serving Minister under the present federal government.
“This statement, coming from a Governor, is not only reckless but dubious and deceitful. We are stumped at the Governor’s rapidness and creativity at falsehood. It is saddening that a serving Governor would brazenly distort and misrepresent facts in the public to suit his selfish agenda and mislead unsuspecting members of the public.
“While we do not intend to vest useful energy in responding to Governor Wike’s sickening customary outbursts, we wish to put the records straight and refresh his mind with the pellucid truth. Unlike Wike who did absolutely nothing with his ministerial position other than to advance his selfish political ambition of becoming Governor, Amaechi as a Minister has attracted numerous people-oriented projects to Rivers State and influenced juicy appointments for Rivers sons and daughters in the present federal government.
“Beyond all that, Amaechi also attracted the Naval War College Intelligence School to Omagwa in Rivers State. Situating the Naval War College in Rivers State has relatively improved security around the axis of its location by checkmating the activities of criminal elements who were armed by the PDP during the 2015 elections and has also helped indigenes gain employment in more ways than one. Whereas, Wike’s claims of introducing Law into the University of Port Harcourt is yet to take firm roots as the University has presently not commenced a regular Law program for the award of LLB degree.
“We urge Governor Wike to focus on ways of improving his scorecard which is presently below average instead of drawing baseless comparisons. The immutable truth remains that the only thing Wike achieved as a Minister was conniving with the Presidency to politically persecute Amaechi and foist himself on Rivers people as Governor”
