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.”
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