I’m not interested in Amaechi’s appointment, Wike insists

RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has insisted that he has no interest in the appointment of his predecessor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister.

Wike was reacting to claims by the All Progressives Congress that he was orchestrating a protest against Amaechi’s expected appointment as a minister.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, in Port Harcourt on Monday, the governor described the claim that he was working against Amaechi’s emergence as a minister as spurious and malicious.

He maintained that the appointment of Amaechi had nothing to do with the governance of Rivers State, adding that it was the right of the President to select those that would work with him as ministers.

“It (the claim that Wike was against Amaechi’s appointment) is not only spurious, but fatuous and malicious. Governor Wike has no cause to orchestrate a protest against the appointment of Rotimi Amaechi.

“Let me reiterate for the umpteenth time that the governor has no nexus with the appointment of Amaechi or otherwise.  It is the right of an appointor to appoint anybody of his choice provided such appointment is in sync with the relevant laws. 

“The appointment of Amaechi will definitely have no bearing on the governance of Rivers State. There are crucial issues the governor is more concerned with which are issues of the state and not trifles like the appointment of Amaechi.

“It is apparent that the APC in Rivers State has exhausted its basket of lies and barren propaganda but still wants to be heard or noticed despite its waned popularity in the state,” Wike said.

 He, however, condemned the allegation by the APC, adding that the spread of such a falsehood as a stratagem by the party has failed.

“Governor Wike’s concern now is to clear the rubbish Amaechi left behind in his eight years of maladministration that impoverished the state and the people.

“Therefore, if the APC is dispensing such unfounded falsehood as a stratagem, it has failed. Or, is the APC distraught that Amaechi might not scale through the screening because of his sleazy antecedents?

“If that is the problem, it (APC) should think of how to sort it out and not spread falsehood to gain sympathy. Governor Wike is not interested in Amaechi’s matter because it is inconsequential,” he added.

Punch