Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State best kept secrets has been revealed by the man who knows him in and out, Ex-Gov. Rotimi Amaechi: “The issue of corruption against Wike had started becoming an issue in my government and the people were saying Amaechi is clean, what about his Chief of Staff (Wike)? So, I then vowed that he was not going to be my Chief of Staff anymore because I could not deal with the issue of corruption. Then, when I signed any file/document approving a contract/job and I said they should pay the contractor, Wike as my Chief of Staff would hide the file and tell the contractor how he was the one who convinced me and begged me to sign and would then buy it off the contractor and collect the money and would not execute the contract.”

“He bought the Rumuoji and Ibaa road that were awarded to two former council chairmen. He bought a road, the Rumuolumeni road, which was awarded at N700million, he pocketed N500m but did not do the road. I only knew all these towards the end of my first tenure.

I now told him that I couldn’t be claiming that I am fighting corruption if Wike as my Chief of Staff is doing what he is doing. Tell Wike that he knows that I hate corruption. We are in court and till today, he has not filed any paper one year after I went to court. Till today, his government has not filed.”

“Wike was somebody I supported for second term as chairman of local government council even when the then governor (Dr. Peter Odili) did not want him to return for a second term. Do you know the portfolio Wike wanted when I came in as governor in 2007? He wanted to become the Commissioner for Finance. I told him no. Wike actually said you wanted him to be the Commissioner for Finance but that he objected and chose to be your Chief of Staff? Wike does not have the courage to look at me and tell me he wanted any position.”

“One of the persons he sent to me is our common friend, Bello Adoke, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, who is our common friend. He told Bello to come and beg me to appoint him (Wike) as Commissioner for Finance.I told Bello, no. Due to my busy schedule, I didn’t know what Wike was doing. I didn’t know he was snatching people’s files and all that. There was a lady I gave a contract to supply cars for the government. She was paid but she didn’t supply all the cars. It was after I left office that she told me why she could not complete the delivery of the cars.”

“So, how can Wike say I wanted him to be Commissioner for Finance? That is why I am mentioning names. What is Wike’s background to be Commissioner for Finance? You cannot give a lawyer, who does not have that background of managing money to become Commissioner for Finance. Let me tell you something that will surprise you. Nyesom Wike swore to me with his children that if he ever betrayed me, that his children should die. It shows you the character of the person we are talking about.”

– Culled from THE NATION