Wike Is Too Insignificant To Discuss - Amaechi

Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi has described the minister of state for Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, as too small a personality to form the topic of discussion.

Amaechi, who is the chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), stated this at the weekend during the 60th birthday celebration of the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Joe Okocha, which was held at the Emmanuel Anglican Church, Okoro-Nu-Odo Deanery in Port Harcourt.

The governor was reacting to specific question directed to him by the officiating priest and the Anglican Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, who during his sermon raised some issues concerning the NGF election, and the governor’s relationship with his erstwhile ‘boy’, Wike, as well as the suspension of the executive and legislative arms of Obio/Akpor local government council.

Amaechi said that the majority of those who betrayed him were from his Ikwerre ethnic group whom he nominated to positions at various levels, including the minister of state for Education, who was his Chief of Staff, as well as the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara.

He said, “His grace, this will be the first time I will be talking about my former chief of staff in public. My former chief of staff is too small for me to talk about; I don’t want to discuss him, and I have never done that before.

“You know, there are different types of men. I hope you know that there are men with character and there are men without character. And you know I have character. I don’t believe that money can solve all problems and I don’t worship money; my greatest fear is that where am I going to after my stay here on earth. Let me also tell you that I have been betrayed several times in politics and the majority of those who betrayed me are from my Ikwerre ethnic group.

“I, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi submitted his name (Wike’s) as Minister to President Jonathan. But where is he now? You must have character; you must be known for something.”

Speaking on the NGF crisis, Amaechi said a credible election was held where the governors exercised their franchise and re-elected him chairman of the forum.

The governor said, “There was an election. They are not denying that there was no election, they said, before the election, some governors had signed documents for them and they were 19 in number, and we conducted election, eventually, the 19 governors later changed their minds and voted for me.

“As a man of God, (referring to Archbishop Kattey) now that you know, please tell the other bishops and men of God, so that I don’t have to be responding to this question in public - if there was election or not.”