The bitter feud between Rotimi Amaechi, Nigeria’s minister of transport and Nyesom Wike, the Governors of River State, South-South Nigeria took a turn for the worse on Tuesday as the transport minister threatened to expose Wike’s wife if he refuses to shut up.
Amaechi was reacting to Monday’s claim by Nyesom Wike’s that Judith Amaechi’s wife was collecting N2m and N3m respectively from commissioners and local government chairman while Amaechi was governor of Rivers state.
Reacting to Wike’s allegation while on inspection programme at the Kaduna Dry Port, Amaechi said, “By accident of Goodluck Jonathan, I don’t want to attribute it to God, but by the accident of Jonathan, the man takes office and talks rubbish. My wife and family, including my younger brothers and sisters, no one had access to government when I was governor.
“Even as minister, nobody will have such because it is not a family business. It is government business. But the problem with Nyesom Wike, and I want you to state this if he doesn’t shut up his mouth and do his work I will bring his wife to the focus. You see I’ve been very matured not to talk about his wife.
“But if Wike does not close his mouth and talk about my wife anymore, I will bring out his wife. My wife will never do such, we don’t do family business. I care about transparency. My wife is a trader. She buys and sells and Wike knows that.” N30bn belonging to Rivers State, Amaechi said, “And you believe that? The man who says he has about $50m in Lagos and could no prove it is the same man you believe. The man who said I didn’t pay salaries until I left office and now he is saying no, it is pensioners that I didn’t pay. Do you believe such a man?
On the allegation that he mismanaged N30bn belonging to Rivers State, the minister responded, “And you believe that? The man who says he has about $50m in Lagos and could no prove it is the same man you believe. The man who said I didn’t pay salaries until I left office and now he is saying no, it is pensioners that I didn’t pay. Do you believe such a man?
“Do you think such a man is well? You believe Nyesom Wike is well? First, he doesn’t know how to speak English, he is poorly dressed, he is a thug, and you bring me to focus with that kind of a man?”