Go and defend yourself, Wike tells Amaechi

RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, to go and defend himself before the judicial commission of inquiry sitting in the state.

Wike, who was reacting to Amaechi’s declaration on Saturday that he (Amaechi) would not appear before the Justice George Omereji-led panel of inquiry, said it was wrong for the former governor to describe the commission as illegal even when the court had ruled that the panel was in order.

The governor, who spoke on Sunday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, said he would not take issues with Amaechi over the setting up of the judicial commission of inquiry.

Wike stressed that it was necessary for Amaechi to defend himself on certain issues concerning how the state was managed during his tenure.

The incumbent governor recalled that a former governor, Dr. Peter Odili, appeared before a panel of inquiry.

Wike had set up the panel to probe the sale of state’s assets and other related matters by the immediate past administration.

Amaechi had told his supporters and members of the All Progressives Congress in Port Harcourt that Wike failed to comply with the laws setting up an administrative panel and, as such, would not appear before it (panel).

Wike explained that the former governor was put to shame when the court pronounced that nothing was wrong with the setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the immediate past administration.

“It is laughable that Amaechi would call a panel that has already been declared lawful by a court of law illegal. This means that as of when he questioned its proprietary in court, he thought the court would declare it illegal but was shamed.

“This is no media trial and the government (Rivers) will not be embroiled in any war of attrition. He (Amaechi) should go and defend himself just like Dr. Peter Odili did during the Kayode Esho panel,” Wike said.

He, however, dismissed the allegations against him by Amaechi, adding that trying to whip up sentiment in the media will not help the former governor.

According to him, “Media trial will not vindicate him as the sentiment he is trying to whip up has failed. Wike has no skeleton in his cupboard.

“We will not take issues with a paradox like Amaechi who claims in one forum that he left N7.5bn (in the state’s coffers) and in another, he said 10bn.”

Punch.