Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday threw a dig at Rivers State Governor by saying he would not respond to a subordinate, Njenje Media News reports.
The former governor was responding to an assertion by Wike that the Federal Government was shielding him from prosecution over alleged misappropriation of proceeds from sales of state assets while he (Amaechi) was governor.
In an interview on Arise TV, said Governor Wike was his staff and won’t bring himself low to discuss him, adding that he was concentrating on building the rail system across the country.
In his words:
“I don’t think I want to address the issue of the governor. I have made my point, I have moved on.
“He was my staff. I can’t bring myself low. I was a governor, I was also a speaker. I’m a minister.
“I was two-term chairman of governors’ forum. The same when I was a speaker. Why should I be discussing about him (Wike)?”
Njenje Media News recalls that Governor Nyesom Wike had accused former governor Amaechi of selling Rivers State properties when he held sway as governor of the oil-rich state between 2007 to 2015.
In the words of Wike:
“People gave you(Amaechi) opportunity. You sold our properties, everything. And people are talking in this state because of the government that says they are fighting corruption and protecting people.
“You (Amaechi) sold our property for $308 million and kept for us $208,000. That is the kind of people parading themselves in government. For a government that says they are fighting corruption, shame.”
“I heard people came to Rivers to flag off narrow gauge (rail) when the world is talking of standard gauge.
“They are giving Rivers narrow gauge because I challenged them to show us what you have done for the people of the state.
“So, what they will do is to come and say okay, since you are complaining let us come and give you a narrow gauge. Instead of giving us the standard gauge to Maiduguri and they are making noise about it.
“Rivers State is the treasure base of the nation. The state they used their money to produce their President.
“Towards the end of their administration is when they come and tell us of narrow gauge railway.
“You want to finish the narrow gauge in 33 months. Will he be in power then? I am going to finish every project I have awarded; this government will finish it.”
