Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to explain the alleged expenditure of $39 million on a hospital he claimed did not exist.
Wike made the remarks during his media parley on Tuesday, where he questioned Amaechi’s handling of public funds during his tenure as governor of Rivers State.
He said Amaechi had yet to explain the expenditure despite seeking election as a vice-presidential candidate.
“After you have left office, with the type of things you have done, you still have that audacity, that humility to come and tell Nigerians you want to be their vice president, when you are unable to explain how you fumigated a state for $10 million, when you are unable to explain how you spent $39 million on a hospital that didn’t exist, when you are unable to explain $308 million you sold gas turbines, and now you cannot come and tell people that the president is a thief.”
Wike also questioned Amaechi’s handling of a proposed hospital project, alleging that a teaching hospital had been demolished before a new 1,000-bed facility was proposed.
“Secondly, look, you were a governor for Christ sake and you told look there was a teaching hospital you put it down and you said you are going to build 1,000 bed hospital and you name it Caribbean White Hospital and you say you have a partner a partner who is a company called Clinotek from Canada.”
The FCT minister said he had evidence of Amaechi discussing the project and claimed the former governor should explain what happened to the funds.
“I would have given you the video or I will send you the video where he said we have paid our own capital to come and make a statement on this so that we’ll be able to have it and prosecute him.”
Wike further alleged that the police failed to invite Amaechi over the matter, despite a court order directing them to bring him before the court.
“Do you know what happened? The police never, never, invited him. He went to court. The court made an order that the police should bring him to court for where? No way.”
He questioned Amaechi’s decision to seek the vice-presidency without addressing the allegations.
“But this is a man who wants to aspire to become a presidential candidate, to rule Nigeria as the first president. That’s such a character.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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