Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State
Eko Hot Blog reports that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, alleged that some persons blocked the release of the loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Abia and Benue States.
According to a statement issued by Wike’s spokesman, Kelvin Ebiri, on Wednesday, he made the accusation while speaking at the 58th birthday celebration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State in his country home of Umuobiakwa community in Obingwa Local Government Area on Tuesday.
The Rivers governor suggested that Ikpeazu and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State were punished for supporting his call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike and his allies have been demanding Ayu’s resignation for months but he’s rejected their calls so far.
On Tuesday, the Rivers governor threatened to expose the persons responsible for blocking the CBN loan.
Although Wike did not give more details on the loan, he said the governors were supposed to use it to develop infrastructure.
“I will tell you very soon, how money that was supposed to come to Abia State for my friend to use to develop Abia State was stopped recently by those who think they own this country, by those who think Ikpeazu did not support them,” he said.
“Because Ikpeazu supported me, they went and stopped Abia state from getting the money they are supposed to get to develop Ariara market.
“Okezie Ikpeazu is just governor of Abia State. He is not the owner of Abia State He is just a symbol of Abia State. Anybody who fights Abia State, you’re not fighting Okezie, you are fighting the people of Abia.”
The former presidential aspirant also noted that the CBN loan was a facility made available to every state of the federation, acknowledging that Rivers State government had accessed and secured the loan already.
“I will tell all of you, how Abia and Benue States were denied of their money that every state had gotten from the Central Bank of Nigeria,” Wike said.
“I got it (CBN loan). And anybody who dare to stop my money, they know, I will not take it from them. You can see how people are wicked, they are not in office yet, but they are fighting people, stopping states money.
“Even as we have criticised President Muhammadu Buhari, he has never stopped our money any day, never.
“Let me tell all of you here, let me use the opportunity and Nigerians will hear. I never told him I will say this.
“Why would some people think some of us are not Nigerians, some people think some of us are slaves. We would never be slaves. I will never be a slave to anybody.”
The Rivers governor’s allegation against the PDP national chairman is the latest in a series of bombshell accusations of corruption—which Ayu has mostly denied.
Speaking further at the event, Wike restated his position on the internal crisis within the PDP, saying his allies’ demand for Ayu’s resignation is for inclusivity, wherein every region is given a sense of belonging.
“So, I have told Ikpeazu to continue to be quiet and be a professor of proverbs. When we went to London, he told the person who called us to the meeting in London, you see this thing happening to PDP now is like that ship that wanted to capsize carrying Jonah,” he said.
“So, as the ship was going down, they went to Jonah, who said it’s me, it’s not the ship, and they took Jonah out of the ship. Jonah did not die.
“The ship stabilised. So, why not throw this Jonah out so that the ship can stabilise.”
Wike, who was the special guest of honour at the event, was accompanied by former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
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