Judith Amaechi, wife of former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, has denied allegations by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike that she collected ₦4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) through her non-governmental organisation, Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI).
Responding in a statement issued on Tuesday, July 22, by her media aide, Dr Dike Bekwele, Mrs Amaechi dismissed the claim as completely false and baseless.
She challenged Wike to publicly release the forensic audit report of the NDDC, where either she or ESI was allegedly indicted.
“We therefore challenge Mr Wike to make public his version of the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission, where Dame Judith Amaechi or the ESI were indicted,” the statement read.
“In the likely event that Wike fails to provide such report, then we challenge Mr Wike to actuate his boast and make bold to tender his resignation as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, forthwith with an unreserved apology to the nation,” it added.
Wike made the claim during a televised interview on Channels TV, where he also urged President Bola Tinubu to publish the full forensic audit report, saying he would resign if his allegations were not confirmed.
Mrs Amaechi’s camp described Wike’s statement as an “unfounded media trial,” accusing the minister of engaging in political blackmail with no evidence.
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“Our attention has been drawn to a live television interview wherein a wild and unfounded allegation of corruption was made,” the statement said.
It insisted that neither Mrs Amaechi nor ESI had received any such sum from the NDDC.
According to the statement, the NGO was incorporated in 2011 and entered into a transparent partnership with the NDDC to jointly fund skills development programmes for youths and women in the Niger Delta.
“The partnership has been successfully executed… with numerous youths and women within the Niger Delta region benefitting from the scheme for self-reliance and sustainability,” it said.
The statement also argued that since the forensic audit report has not been made public, Wike’s reference to it was speculative and misleading.
“It will be preposterous for Wike to allege that the Empowerment Support Initiative or Dame Judith Amaechi was indicted in the NDDC forensic audit report, which has not been published to the Nigerian public,” it stated.
Concluding, the statement advised Wike to stop making damaging accusations that could tarnish reputations and discourage foreign investors.
“His uncouth and uncultured attitude is capable of undermining and under-marketing the nation’s effort at attracting foreign investors,” it said.