Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, which he claimed indicted the wife of the former minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi over a one-year N48 billion contract scam for the training of Niger Delta women.
Minister Wike accused the former attorney general of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami of sitting on the report to protect those indicted.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the immediate past Rivers State governor put President Tinubu on the spot when he appeared on Channels Television programme, Politics Today on Friday night where he responded to sundry allegations against him by his predecessor, including alleged corruption and profligate lifestyle.
In the no-holds-barred interview, Wike punctured Amaechi’s claim that he is not corrupt. He also questioned Amaechi’s education and qualification over perceived ignorance in not being able to differentiate between a trader and industrialist, alleging that the former minister could not finish from Rivers State University because he failed.
Amaechi had during his appearance on the same station on Thursday, described his wife as an industrialist who had been sustaining him since he left office. He also queried the source of Wike’s stupendous wealth such that he rides a Rolls-Royce and has properties scattered everywhere.
But poohpoohing Amaechi’s claim of his wife being an industrialist, Wike said “I will tell you how people are hypocritical, how people insult Nigerians, deceiving Nigerians. First of all, Amaechi’s wife was not an industrialist, has never been. The best I know, and that is why I call on Mr. President to release the forensic audit of NDDC. Through Amaechi’s wife’s company, every month, four billion Naira to train Niger Delta women for one year, N48bn.
“The forensic report audit is there. Who killed it was (Abubakar) Malami, the attorney general then. Mr. President should help Nigerians. Please release the forensic audit of the NDDC. Four billion a month to train Niger Delta women?”
Pressed further if he had any evidence, Wike said “I have said let Mr. President do us a favour to release that document, release that document. Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former attorney general, Malami, killed that document to protect those who were concerned.
“All I am saying, let them release the document. If what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign as the minister of FCT. I don’t worship office. I didn’t say the forensic audit was right. That is how the wife became an industrialist – N4bn every month to train Niger Delta women’.
He also alleged that Amaechi’s wife had contracts with the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Authority, NIMASA.
“I watched him say NPA and NIMASA, they don’t pay contractors. Yes, he knows that because they have not paid his wife who is a contractor in NPA and NIMASA. ..I feel so bad I should discuss a man’s wife”.
Questioning Amaechi’s education for not being able to differentiate between a trader and an industrialist,
Wike said, “Seun, with all due respect. I heard when he was saying you went to Baze University. Is that what you people are taught? You don’t know the difference between being an industrialist and being a trader? Is that what you people are taught in the university that if you are a trader, you are an industrialist?
“So unfortunate, a university graduate, so unfortunate, a former minister, so unfortunate, a former governor would say my wife is a trader, therefore she’s an industrialist”.
Reminded that Amaechi attended the Rivers State University where he (minister) also graduated from, Wike retorted “He didn’t pass Rivers State University. Let me tell you something today, you will know. Amaechi went to Rivers State University, he couldn’t pass; he went to University of Port Harcourt, and I won’t tell you the grade he came out with. Your thinking depends on how you graduated.
“Nobody can challenge my qualification. I am an alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt. I was trained by the best of professors”.
Taking umbrage at Amaechi dragging his wife into the conversation, Wike said “It’s so unfortunate, why do you bring your wife into this kind of discussion? It’s not necessary if you love your wife. Why did you do that? And you are making the world to know your wife was never an industrialist”.
Accusing Amaechi of bribery and corruption in the award of contract to a former senator, the FCT Minister said “He said John Mbata gave him Rolls-Royce. When did he give him? When he was governor. And this was the man that was doing contracts. In fact, in Rivers State, he gave him the contract to be the one that will supply all the vehicles to take over transportation in Rivers. It was not supplied.
“He gave him a Rolls Royce; he took the Rolls-Royce. Whether he used the Rolls-Royce, what’s my business? …A contractor gave him, that was bribe he took from a contractor; I would not do that… I have not denied here.
“His anger is just that I use Rolls-Royce. So what? It was not given to me by a contractor who was doing job with me, no”.
Dismissing Amaechi’s claim that he had no houses in Abuja, Wike said he was being hypocritical and deceptive, stating that the quality of his house in the same Guzape neighbourhood with him is not what a poor man can afford.
According to Wike: “He said I have houses. Amaechi was Speaker for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years, and he does not have houses? Then he has a spiritual problem.
“Nigerians should know the kind of characters deceiving them every day, pretending. I will tell you about his house in Guzape here where I live. You need a bunker to destroy that house”. He was however quick to state that he was going to destroy the house, “But I’m trying to show the quality. You can’t be a poor man and have such a house. He said he does not have this and that, where is his house? It’s in old GRA. Who built it?”