Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has cautioned the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, against talking about Rivers or regret doing so.
He also lambastes Akpabio for accusing governors in the South-South 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, to accuse incumbent governors of financial recklessness just because they did not attend the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission headquarters building in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Wike took a swipe at the minister 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 of Rivers State.
The governor’s attack, which was contained in a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media read:
“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.
“You (Akpabio) went and started sponsoring so-called militants that we should render an 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.”
Wike 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 Senator Godswill Akpabio lacks the morality to ask what the governors have 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,” Wike said
Adding that it was bad for people to rob their failure on others when it is known to many how inconsistent and sycophantic they are to be politically relevant, Governor Wike said:
“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 practice. 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 after 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,” Wike said.