The 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 likely 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 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 the President
to appoint anybody of his choice provided such an
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 condemned the allegation by the APC, adding
that the spreading of falsehood as a stratagem by
the party had 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 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.
