Having earlier accused of spending a whooping 82million naira to organise a dinner for Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka in Rivers State, immediate past governor of of the state, Chibuike Amaechi, has denied the allegations by the Nyesom Wike-led administration.
The Rivers State Government on Wednesday made the allegation and vowed to demand a refund from the Nobel Laureate if it confirms that he received part of the funds in cash.
Reacting to the allegation via a statement by the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Media Office, Wednesday, the former governor warned Mr. Wike “and the coterie of court-jesters and attention-seekers” in his administration to desist from peddling falsehood and categorized all the moves as a ploy to spoil his good reputation.
The statement challenged Governor Wike to go to court if he had any case of fraud or misappropriation of state funds against his predecessor instead of “this silly distractions”.
It further said the latest allegation by the state government was aimed at distracting the people from the “massive electoral fraud” perpetrated by Wike, a former Education Minister, during the last elections.
“Wike must stop this silly distraction. Rivers people are not interested in his lies and witch-hunt. Rather, Rivers people want to know what will happen to their children that he stopped and cancelled the funding of their scholarships abroad.
“Rivers people want to know why is the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), an agency set up by law no longer functioning under Wike?
“Why instead of quality education, a standard set by his predecessor, under Wike, grasses and weeds have taken over the beautiful schools built by Amaechi?
“Rivers people want to know why the standard health facilities and services put in place by the Amaechi administration are rotting away, not this petty rambling.
“Rivers people want to know why the Wike government does not care about the security of their lives and property, as violence and criminals have taken over.
“Rivers people want to know why it feels as if there is no government in Rivers State, and this is in spite of the billions of naira that has accrued to the Wike administration and the tens of billions of naira borrowed”, Mr. Amaechi alleged.
The statement, therefore, cautioned the Rivers governor against dragging the names of globally respected persons such as Mr. Soyinka into his “unbridled, unashamed and ill-advised attack of his former boss and benefactor”.