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Wike attacks Akpabio over South South 13% derivation fund

Clement Daniel
Clement Daniel
2023 election will be fight to the finish -Wike
Wike

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has taken a swipe at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for accusing governors in the region of mismanagement of 13 per cent derivation fund.

He said it was disingenuous for Akpabio who as Governor of Akwa Ibom State to act like a demi-god and accuse incumbent governors of financial recklessness just because they did not attend the inaugural, headquarters building in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

The governor took a swipe at the minister during the inauguration of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Secretariat Building, performed by the National President of TUC, Quadri Olaleye, on Friday in Ozuoba Town of Obio/Akpor local Ggernment area of Rivers State.

“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.”

Wike accused the minister of sponsoring  militants  to cast aspersion on Niger Delta State governors by demanding that they should account for N55 billion they received.

He wondered how the minister came about the said amount.

“You (Akpabio) went and started sponsoring so called militants that we should render account of N55 billion. Where did we get the N55 billion? If we got N55 billion then he got N200 trillion. You cannot insult people.”

He explained that the inauguration of the NDDC headquarters building was planned without resort to the governors in the region to know if the date was suitable for them.

The governor also said Akpabio lacked the morality to ask what the governors had done with the 13 per cent derivation, when he got more money as a governor because Nigeria’s economy was better then.

“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 per cent of their money.”

Governor Wike said it was bad for people to rub their failure on other when it is known to many how inconsistent and sycophantic they were to be politically relevant.

“I am not a sycophant. I am not an inconsistent person. I don’t give a damn. He cannot say he has been seeing me in his villa. So, if he wants to talk let him concentrate in his state, not to venture again and talk about Rivers State. If he does it again, he will regret meeting Rivers State. People should say what they practise. I will show a video where Akpabio said the President should come and learn from me what I am doing here. I will show a video soon.”

The governor said the reason the minister defected to the All Progressives Congress  was because he was afraid that the government might unleash the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on him.

“That is why Nigeria cannot move forward. Everybody is running away, because when they send EFCC, you run to the other party, then they protect you. That is the party; that is government that is fighting corruption. Akpabio is now moving round happy. He no longer takes his blood pressure medicine.”

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