The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday said the former governor of the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, spent $150 million to fund the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s campaign for the 2015 elections.

Wike, who called for a comprehensive fight against corruption, urged that there should be full support for the prosecution of all those who stole Rivers State’s money to sponsor the APC’s national election campaign.

According to him, between December 1 and 18 of 2014, Amaechi used $150 million from the state coffers to fund the APC campaign, promising that the State Government will recover all stolen funds.

The governor also noted that he would not have contested a re-run governorship election because of the plot by the APC and the Presidency to trigger a bloodbath in the state.

He said he was also aware of a plot to arrest him as soon as the Supreme Court gave the judgment against him, insisting that the verdict, which affirmed his victory at the April 11, 2015 poll, saved the state from imminent crisis.

Wike spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving service held at St. Peter’s (Anglican) Church, Rumueprikom Deanery, Port Harcourt, to mark his victory at the Supreme Court.

In attendance at the thanksgiving were Governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State.

Former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan; former Rivers State Governors Peter Odili and Celestine Omehia; leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), legal luminaries and National and State Legislators, among others, also graced the ceremony.

While thanking the people for their support, Wike said his victory at the Supreme Court has reinforced his belief that nothing is impossible with God.

“Nothing is impossible with God. Men of God prophesied a few days to the Supreme Court that the judgment will confirm the mandate given to us by the Rivers people. We won the election clearly as has been confirmed by the Supreme Court. If there was a rerun, I wouldn’t have contested because there would have been bloodbath. I resolved not to be part of anything that would bring bloodbath,” he said.

He disclosed that an evil plot had been hatched to arrest him, detain him to discourage Rivers people before the legislative elections earlier scheduled for February 6.

According to him, the political powers were already indiscriminately arresting PDP members and leaders across the state, preparatory to the rerun elections.

He assured the people of Rivers State that he will judiciously use the mandate to advance the course of development in the state.

The governor reiterated his earlier declaration that he will not allow the rigging of the rerun elections in the state, noting that any INEC staff who attempts to rig will be treated as an armed robber.

He said: “I am the executive governor of Rivers State and a strong one for that matter. We will support INEC to conduct credible elections. However, any official who plans to rig will get the treatment reserved for armed robbers.”

He noted that the failure of the evil plotters meant that Rivers people will return all the legislators whose elections were nullified by the Appeal Court.

“The national chairman of the APC said they will not wish to lose Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Abia states because they are the resource base of the nation, even though the price of oil is going down. Well, I don’t blame him: from 1st to 8th December, 2014, they took from Rivers State coffers $150 million and changed it at the Bureau de Change outlets and that was the period we were having primaries. So, Rivers State was the finance base of the APC.”

The governor assured the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Dakuku Peterside, that he will be accommodated in the process of developing the state. He added that Dakuku Peterside, who has allegedly been abandoned by Amaechi, his main backer, is not an orphan, saying: “I will be a father to Dakuku Peterside. He is not an orphan.”

The governor thanked the Rivers people who stood by him throughout his election litigations, saying that it took pains to survive the period.

He advised: “What I want to say is that, if you do not know God, please from today, use my own experience and say ‘God, I believe You. I want to worship You’. Well, it would not be surprising to say the type of bloodshed that would have happened in this state. God used Supreme Court to avert bloodshed in this state. What Supreme Court has done is to make people to have confidence in the judiciary.

“In fact, what was happening has got to the situation we did not know where and what to do. It would have been difficult if they had allowed what was happening at the top to be.

“But the Supreme Court has to stand firm and say ‘enough is enough’. The integrity of the judiciary must be protected. I want to thank them for standing firm.”

He flayed the APC for being desperate to win elections, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the Rivers federal and state Houses of Assembly, after the ruling party lost at the Supreme Court.

In his sermon, Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion ) Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, said the victory of Wike at Supreme Court has brought peace to the state.

He called on the governor to be a father of all the people of the state.

He said: “The State would have been in confusion because God has saved the people from embarrassment. Make it your duty to always thank God.”

Meanwhile, the APC has described Wike’s allegations on $150 million as a lie.

The state Publicity Secretary of APC, Christian Finebone, in a text message said: “That is a big lie taken from the very depth of hell. Wike talks big and tough but behind his tough-talking is a moronic coward.

“He won’t advance that accusation beyond the comfort of his audience. His deeds are awaiting him and at the appropriate time he’ll be held to account. If he is serious let him go to court and summon Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi but you can be sure that he won’t do because he knows that Amaechi is without blemish.”

•Excerpted from a ThisDay report. Photo shows Governor Wike.

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