… Says rejection by all geopolitical zones to field him for Presidency taking toll on his mental health
… Notes that 2023’ll reveal who is indeed corrupt between him and Amaechi
… Wike’s outburst: a sign of frustration for failing to stop Amaechi’s ministerial appointment – Eze
BY IBRAHIM BAKARE
A closer scrutiny of the common traits and especially, the untamed disposition and weird temperament of Governor Nyesom Wike, will apparently leave one in perpetual doubt as to his possession of the minimum qualification prescribed in the Legal Education (Consolidation) Act for qualification and enrollment into the circle of the noble profession.
Gov. Nyesom Wike, at the glare of the public, during the commissioning of one of his cheap and over publicized projects, Thursday, said the Nigerian Government is shielding former Rivers Governor and Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi CON., from prosecution for corruption.
The Governor was quoted as saying that FG’s action is appalling despite Amaechi’s “inability to account for $308 million from sales of the state-owned power plant and other critical assets when he was the Governor of Rivers State”, alleging that the protection the Minister enjoys is the reason why he has continued to make efforts to undermine the state government in his actions.
Further excerpt from Wike’s blabbing and ignorance reads: “he has consistently made efforts to undermine the state government by influencing who is to be posted as Commissioner of Police and General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army, to Rivers State”.
Reacting to the ‘stuff and nonsense’, Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said the Governor’s reason for making such ridiculous, contemptuous and untutored remark is merely to impugn and smirch the image of the Transportation Minister and smear the Mohammadu Buhari led Federal Government, built on transparency and fair play, nonetheless, it reveals that Gov. Wike derives pleasure flaunting in ignorance. Is Amaechi the Inspector General of Police or the Army Chief of Staff to determine who will be posted to Rivers State either as a Commissioner of Police or Army Chief? Must we play politics with everything or must we drag Amaechi into all issues pertaining to Rivers State? Why is Wike so afraid of Amaechi and Security Chiefs posted to Rivers State? What type of governance is this?
In a statement made available to media houses in Port Harcourt, Chief Eze admonished Nyesom Wike to strive to acquire a rudimentary training in Constitutional Law, or better still, get himself a copy of the Nigerian Constitution and thoroughly peruse through, especially Section 308 thereof, stressing that even Primary school pupils in Rivers State are aware that there exists no law in the Nigerian jurisprudence offering immunity to a Minister against Court actions so why must he always attempt to impugn the character of President Buhari by implying that he is shielding Amaechi from trial while most people that have served under him are either under on trail or have been excused from the administration with most past Governors and Ministers who are members of APC already in jail. Must he please a character like Wike who has the habit o shouting wolf where no issue exists to try an impeccable, innocent and honest fellow like Amaechi?That Amaechi is not on trial shows that he is corrupt free, Eze stated.
Describing the allegation as a tale of fanciful fantacy, Chief Eze said the constitution only offers immunity to the occupants of the offices of President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor and no more, noting that it is competent to commence a civil or criminal action against any public office holder whose office does not fall within the province of Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution and as such, the presence of Amaechi can be compelled by any process of Court if the Court is set in motion against him.
Based on assessment proven by records, the party Chief said Gov. Wike is very much au courant of the obvious fact that one honest and godly public servant we have in Nigeria today is Rt. Hon. Dr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi so no amount of campaign of calumny or thousands of Wike can bring him down.
It therefore pricks the conscience to see Governor Wike still hounding the Minister by stirring up unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations against him.
Making further clarification, Eze said the issue of sale of government asset by the Chibuike Amaechi led government was not shrouded in secrecy and illegality as alleged by Wike, but complied in all respects with established statutory processes governing sale of public assets.
Recalling how the allegation was trashed both before the Senate and the public when Gov. Wike woefully lost in his bid to stop the nomination and confirmation of Amaechi as a Minister in 2016, the party stalwart said Wike should take time to study the Budgets of Rivers State during the pendency of the administration of Chibuike Amaechi, stressing that the transactions pertaining to the conveyance of assets and proceeds thereof are contained therein.
He cautioned the Rivers State Governor to keep mute, if he cannot be responsible and bold enough come clean on his claims and take necessary steps to make Amaechi account for his actions, noting that further comments on the subject will amount to an abuse of his right to free speech, as the Minister is always at a ready to proof his innocence with documentary evidence.
Decrying the degree of cocktail of lies and deceits composed in their scheme of work against Rt. Hon. Amaechi, for the new season, Eze called on members of the public to be on the know and never give-in to Wike’s antics and dictates, restating that the Minister will not be deterred in his commitment to service delivery through infrastructural development, which he said remains a critical element of governance.
Expressing confidence that the Governor lacks the evidential wherewithal to prosecute a case against the Transportation Minister, who has shown capacity in all spheres of leadership, the party Chief appealed to Nigerians to be a bit more patient till 2023, by which time corruption will hound and mesmerize Wike in Court, offering him to the gaping abyss of the Correctional Center where neither sycophants and praise singers will offer themselves in lieu of his imprisonment.
The party chief said non of the several Multi-Million Naira campaigns of calumny launched by the Rivers State Government, against the Transportation Minister has ever yielded any good results, stressing that the current season would not make any difference. He noted that Rivers people would have benefited more had those monies lavished on frivolities been channelled into meaningful ventures.
Recalling how Millions of Taxpayer’s money was swindled by Gov. Wike, in a failed project to stop the confirmation of Rt. Hon. Amaechi, as Minister, by the National Assembly, Eze said it is flamboyantly idiotic to continue to do a particular act repeatedly and expect a different result, expressing clearly that nothing stops a dream whose time is ripe.
The Party Chief said Wike is being hounded by three mwin factors –
1. His rejection by all geopolitical zones to field him for Presidency which is now taking much toll on his mental health
2. The failure of his boys he planted in APC to decimate the party so that he can install his puppet as Governor come 2023
3. Finally his manifest rejection that is beginning to trail his untamed and wagging tongue which has ceaselessly oozed uncharitable comments and severally uttered self-glorification, contrary to every recognized standards of civilized behavior expected of an occupant of the exalted office of a State Governor.
Eze tasked Rivers people to continue in their patience and peaceful disposition in the face of manifest mal-administration and crass misappropriation of public resources under the PDP-led administration, assuring that the years of canker worms and caterpillars will soon be over.