The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi’s wife, Judith, has denied allegations made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing her and the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) of receiving N4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Earlier in July, Wike alleged that Judith diverted N4 billion supposedly allocated for women’s training programmes in the Niger Delta.
He made the claim during an interview on a popular television programe, while speaking about his prolonged political rivalry with Amaechi, his predecessor as governor of Rivers State.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the former Rivers first lady media assistant, Dike Bekwele, the allegation was described as utterly baseless, untrue, and an attempt to score cheap political goals.
Responding to the minister’s claim, Bekwele said the accusation has “jostled well-meaning Nigerians” and stirred demands for clarification.
“In one of his rather cyclic, hysteric, poor and recurring live television outings, Nyesom Wike, in his habitual manner, accused Dame Amaechi and the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) of receiving four billion naira (₦4,000,000,000.00) monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC,” the statement read.
“We would have ignored the Minister’s ranting as it is a mere blackmail intended to undermine the reputation and integrity of Her Excellency and the ESI, but it is imperative to state the obvious in the interest of right-thinking Nigerian citizens.”
“There is absolutely no iota of veracity in the allegation made by Mr. Wike against Dame Amaechi and the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI). Dame Amaechi did not and has never received four billion naira monthly payments (₦4,000,000,000.00) from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC,” it said.
The statement noted that ESI is a registered non-governmental organisation founded in 2011, and that its collaboration with the NDDC was based on a formal memorandum of understanding to co-finance human capacity development projects.
Bekwele stated, “The partnership has been successfully executed since its commencement to the satisfaction of both Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) and the NDDC, with numerous youths and women within the Niger Delta region benefitting from the scheme for self-reliance and sustainability.”
It added, “Quite contrary to the falsehood concocted and diffused by Mr. Nyesom Wike, the counterpart funding between the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) and the NDDC is in public glare for scrutiny.”
“It is both absurd, baseless, and a mere figment of Mr. Wike’s imaginations.”
It also emphasized ESI’s contributions to vocational training and skills development in addressing workforce needs across the Niger Delta.
“We, therefore, challenge Mr. Wike to make public his version of the forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission where either Dame Judith Amaechi or the ESI were indicted,” Bekwele said.
“In the likely event that Wike fails to provide such report, then we challenge Mr. Wike to actuate his boast and make bold to tender his resignation as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, forthwith with an unreserved apology to the Nation.”
“May we advise Mr. Wike to stop bringing the country’s image to disrepute as his uncouth and uncultured attitude is capable of undermining and under-marketing the nation’s effort at attracting foreign investors into the country.”
