The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio against insulting governors of the South-South geopolitical zone.
He issued the warning while taking a swipe at the ex-Akwa Ibom governor for accusing governors in the region of mismanagement of 13 percent derivation fund.
According to a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, the Rivers governor spoke during the inauguration of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretariat Building, performed by the National President of TUC, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, on Friday in Ozuoba Town of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Wike said it was disingenuous for Akpabio, whom he accused of acting as a “demig-dog” while he was Governor of Akwa Ibom, to accuse incumbent governors of financial recklessness just because they did not attend the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) headquarters building in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
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Wike explained that the inauguration of the NDDC headquarters building was planned without consulting governors of the region to know if the date was suitable for them.
The governor also said Akpabio lacked the moral justification to ask what the governors have done with the 13 percent derivation, when he got more money as a governor because Nigeria’s economy was better in his time.
“We knew when Akpabio was governor what he was doing. In fact, he saw himself as god then. Now, he has the temerity to insult South South Governors. We will meet one day. If he did well, why did he fail Senate election? If his people love him, why did he fail Senate election? Ordinary Senate? And you will come and talk to us,” the Rivers governor said.
Wike added, “I have told him (Akpabio) to take less. Now, he is taking on South-South governors, we will tell him that when he was governor, he was acting as a king. There was money as at that time. What was the exchange rate N150 to a dollar, today we are almost having N500 to a dollar. Akpabio had money and he had the temerity to say ask South-South governors what they are doing with 13 percent of their money.”
Wike accused the minister of sponsoring militants to cast aspersion on Niger Delta state governors by demanding that they account for N55billion they allegedly received, wondering how the minister came about the said amount.
“You (Akpabio) went and started sponsoring so called militants that we should render account of N55billion. Where did we get the N55 billion? If we got N55billion then he got N200 trillion. You cannot insult people,” the Rivers governor said.
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