Minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has responded to comments by Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation.
Speaking when he appeared on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday, Amaechi questioned Wike’s political relevance and challenged him to a popularity walk from Abuja to Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.
Amaechi also described Judith, his wife, as an industrialist—a claim that the FCT minister punctured when he spoke on Politics Today, which aired on Friday.
Wike asked President Bola Tinubu to release the report of the forensic audit carried out on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), saying that it contains records about how Amaechi’s wife allegedly benefited from the intervention agency.
The FCT minister also claimed that the report was shelved to protect those who might be indicted in any form of fraud.The federal government under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari launched an audit to examine the commission’s financial dealings and project execution from 2001 to August 2019, seeking to uncover mismanagement, fund misappropriation, and other discrepancies.
Wike said a company linked to Judith allegedly received N4 billion monthly from the NDDC under the pretext of training women in the Niger Delta.He alleged that the audit report was buried by Abubakar Malami, the former attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice.
“First of all, Amaechi’s wife was not an industrialist at the time; the best I know,” Wike said.“And that’s why I’ve called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the forensic audit of the NDDC.“Through Amaechi’s wife’s company, N4 billion was being received every month to train Niger Delta women. That’s N48 billion a year.
The forensic report is there.“Who killed it? It was Malami (former AGF)—he killed that document to protect those concerned. One of the people who are talking about coalition.“Mr President should help Nigerians.
This is what I’ve always said: please, release the forensic audit of the NDDC.“N4 billion a month to train Niger Delta women! I have said, ‘Let Mr. President, please, do us a favour and release that document.’“Just release the document.
That’s how his wife became an industrialist; N4 billion every month to train Niger Delta women.”Wike said he is ready to vacate his position as FCT minister if the audit does not support his claims.
“Let them release the document. If what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign as FCT minister,” he said.“I said I will resign. I do not worship any office. I didn’t say the forensic audit was right; all I am saying is the audit report should be released.
”Wike also said the former minister cannot demand respect merely on account of being older, adding that honour must be earned and not based on age or past titles.
“I think it’s very unfortunate; you should be respected because of the integrity you have and the honour you have, not because you are 200 years old,” he said.“He cannot claim to be older than me just because he was governor before me.
”The FCT minister also claimed that his political journey started before he met Amaechi.“I want to say, with due respect, that I never knew Rotimi from Adams,” he said.
“In 1998, I contested for one of Nigeria’s most respected local governments, Obio/Akpor local government, and I won.”
