Minister for Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has tongue-lashed the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike over what he considers an attempt to link him with sponsorship of cultism in the state.

An unsigned statement issuedon Tuesdayin Abuja by Amaechi’s Media Office said “as usual, Wike did not provide any shred of evidence to prove his claims.”

“We know that Wike craves attention and always want to be seen in the media to be ‘exposing and fighting’ Amaechi. However, we will burst his bubble this time and will not indulge him or dignify him. Wike ought to know by now that no one takes him seriously anymore, especially whenever he makes those cooked-up vile, malicious allegations against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. This his new concocted story is not any different from the previous numerous false allegations he has made against Amaechi.

“Again, Wike’s new cult fabrication against Amaechi fits into Wike’s style and pattern of distraction and obfuscation - tell a lie to distract, and then tell another lie and another lie to distract our attention from the previous lie, creating an endless web of lies, confusion and deception. Same pattern of telling blatant lies with no proof or intention to prove his claims.

Wike wants us to forget that only recently, he made an allegation that the over $43 million found in an Ikoyi apartment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were stolen Rivers State funds kept in the apartment by Amaechi. Wike had also lied that the luxury Ikoyi apartment belonged to Amaechi.

“But we won’t forget. We remember vividly that on the night ofFriday, April 14, during his hurriedly arranged shambolic press briefing, Wike had threatened the President Buhari administration with fire and brimstone, vowing the mother-of-all legal action against the Federal Government if the over $43 million was not given to himwithin seven days. His 7-day ultimatum had long expired, yet no action, whether legal or otherwise by Wike to prove his malicious allegations and claim to the money. On Friday, May 6, when another opportunity was opened for Wike to prove his frivolous allegations against Amaechi and claim the money before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos; neither Wike nor his lawyers were anywhere near the court to claim the money.

“This fresh attempt by Wike to distract Nigerians from his earlier false, politically motivated allegations against Amaechi on the over $43 million Ikoyi money, will not fly.

“We will continue to remind Wike and insist that he must go to court, like he vowed to prove his frivolous claims that the over $43 million Ikoyi money and luxury apartment belongs to Amaechi and were stolen from Rivers State by Amaechi; or be ready to face the wrath of the law at the appropriate time (constitutional immunity for governors is not for life), the wrath of the people and ultimately the wrath of God, which no constitutional immunity can protect him from.”