N2bn school scam: You are a liar, Wike tells Amaechi

Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, has denied re­ceiving N2 billion meant for building of schools from Rivers State Gover­nor, Chibuike Amaechi.Wike made the denial at the weekend in Port Har­court, following Gover­nor Amaechi’s allegation recently, accusing him of ‘diverting’ about N2 billion meant for the building of 14 model schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
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The minister maintained that the governor never gave him such amount of money, adding that he was not a Commissioner for Education to merit the con­tract.

“Let me say it clearly that he has never given any money to me to build a school. Let him mention those schools and commu­nities. Assuming that he gave me 14 schools, am I the Commissioner for Edu­cation?

“If he gave me the con­tract and the job was not done, why did he not arrest me? If he gave the job and I refused to do it, why did he recommend me to be ap­pointed as a minister?” he asked.

He challenged Amaechi to account for the contract sum of N7.5 billion meant for the construction of the 1,000-bed Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital to be sited at the Greater Port Harcourt City (GPHC).

He alleged that the US$50 million was re­leased to the Commissioner for Health without due ap­proval and wondered why the hospital had not been built despite demolish­ing the old one that was in good use already. “Where is that money and where is the 1,000-bed hospital?” he queried

Commenting on his ru­moured governorship am­bition, Wike emphasised that nobody could intimi­date him out of the race, if he decided to run.

“Very soon, you will hear from me. If I choose to run, for instance, if heaven falls, that will be good for all of us. But, nobody can intimidate me out of the race,” he said.

He assured supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state that, whoever won the par­ty’s primaries, would win the election proper.