By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Aggrieved Rivers women ,under the aegis of Rivers State Women Association of Nigeria, RIVSWAN at the weekend berated the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike over his verbal assault on the integrity and person of Dame Judith, wife of former Governor Rotimi  Amaechi.

They described the attack as totally unwarranted, malicious ,and misplaced.

The Source reports that Wike had, on Friday July 4, while reacting to Amaechi’s recent interview with the  Channels Television, alleged that the former Rivers State First Lady, Mrs Amaechi  collected  N4 billion monthly from the Niger Development Commission NNDC,  for the purpose of  training programmes for Niger Delta women.

But in a statement  by its Acting President, Ichechi Welendu,  RIVSWAN, while condemning the outburst strongly chided the FCT Minister for “peddling baseless falsehood driven by sheer bitterness, ignorance and a worrying lack of self-restraint.”

The women also urged the public to disregard ,and treat Wike’s unwarranted claims for what they truly are: “a concocted story fueled by personal vendetta and bitterness.”

Noted the group: the entire allegation is not only laughable, but an embarrassment to public discourse. It reflects either a gross misunderstanding of the NNDC’s budgetary structure or a deliberate effort to smear the name of a respected woman of substance”, the women group stated.

While commending the efforts of the Rivers state former First Lady in uplifting the wellbeing of women both in the State and in Niger Delta region, Welendu noted that most of Judith’s women -oriented programmes were, and are still mostly financed with personal resources.

According to the Women leader, Mrs Amaechi through the instrumentality of her NGO, Empowerment Support Initiative ESI, has over the  years, identified with, and supported girl-child education and general women empowerment across the South South region.

The group warned against any attempts by anyone or  groups under any guise to subject the person and integrity of the former First Lady to public ridicule, based on unfounded allegations.

This is as the women described Wike’s unwarranted attack on Judith as “a slap on the face of Rivers state Women.

The women, therefore, called on the FCT Minister to back his claims with documents or withdraw the unsavoury and irresponsible allegation.

The women group said failure by Wike to make public documents substantiating his allegations against Mrs Amaechi, could lead to some actions, including peaceful protest marches across the streets of Rivers state.

The women similarly urged President Bola  Tinubu to, as a matter of urgent necessity, call his Minister to order. They noted that  his continued unguarded utterances are unbecoming of a Federal Cabinet Member.

” Dame Judith Amaechi is a moral compass, a gospel preacher and a champion of good governance.

“Her support for her husband, the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi during his era of infrastructural transformation is well documented”, RIVSWAN stated

By Akinwale Kasali

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has disclosed that there is a yet-to-be-released forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, which contains evidence that implicates the wife of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in a multi-billion Naira Scheme.

The former Rivers State Governor urged President Bola Tinubu to release the NDDC audit report, which he claimed would expose how ₦4 billion was paid monthly for one year to a company linked to Amaechi’s wife under the guise of training Niger Delta women.

Wike revealed Saud this on Channels Television in  response to Amaechi’s claims.

Amaechi had claimed in an interview with Channels that he was not corrupt and does not like money.

But Wike said it is “unfair to Nigerians” for Amaechi to suggest his wife is an industrialist without proof.

Wike said: “When you ask him how he became rich or where he got the money for his political grandstanding, he says his wife is an industrialist. Which industry does she own?

“She’s not an industrialist. She might be a trader, but not what he claims. Amaechi is not being fair.

“If what I’m saying is not in that document, (NDDC) I’ll resign. I don’t worship office. All I ask is: release the document,” he said.

“The report is there. It was Malami, the former Attorney General, who told the then President. Mr. President should help Nigerians and release that forensic audit of the NDDC,” Wike demanded.

“₦4 billion a month to train women? For one year? That’s how she became an industrialist!”

The former Minister also responded to his predecessor’s earlier comments suggesting that his wealth was questionable.

He further accused Amaechi of hypocrisy and misleading Nigerians.

“Amaechi was Speaker for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years. Yet he claims he doesn’t have a house? That’s not humility—it’s a spiritual problem.

“Somebody gave him a Rolls Royce he didn’t even use. Everyone knows a contractor gave him that as a bribe. I would never accept that.”

Wike defended his own background, arguing that he came from a well-off family and that his lifestyle was never hidden.

“I’m not a bush man. I’m from Obio-Akpor. As a student, I was driving a Mercedes. My father has a duplexes on Ikwerre Road. We were not rich, but we were well-to-do.”

The FCT Minister further accused the former lawmaker of hypocrisy, citing his criticism of former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 elections and questioning what Amaechi’s own administration had achieved during his tenure.

“Remember Amaechi was one of those who championed the removal of Jonathan, and he said openly he kicked him out, he said because Nigerians were suffering. His government came from 2016, what did you do for Nigeria.

“He was Minister of Transportation, they bombed the train, was Tinubu the president then?

Shifting focus to Nigeria’s political landscape, the FCT Minister criticized ongoing efforts to form coalitions aimed at unseating Tinubu, describing them as disingenuous and led by politicians who previously contributed to the country’s hardship.

“The same people who made Nigerians suffer now want to come back and act like they’re the solution. They were in power, what did they do?”

He noted that Tinubu’s administration had only been in office for two years and deserves more time.

“If someone is trying to fix a problem you caused, support him. Don’t blame the man trying to solve the suffering, blame the ones who created it.”

Wike concluded by urging Nigerians to be discerning about political narratives, saying many of those now claiming to have solutions were the same people who failed the country.

“Let’s not give coverage to everybody. Let’s tell ourselves the truth. You caused the problem, and now that someone is trying to fix it, you want to act like you’re the redeemer? It won’t work.”