The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that the N600 billion left in the Rivers State coffers after the lifting of the emergency rule in the state is attracting political interest.
Wike stated this when he met with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly at their legislative quarters along Aba Road in Port Harcourt on Saturday evening.
Recall that the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, had during one of the sittings said that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), left N600 billion in the state coffers following the lifting of the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu on September 18.
Amaewhule was reacting to a report presented on the floor of the House by the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Aforji Igwe, on the deplorable state of public schools in the state. The Speaker accused the governor of abandoning public schools and queried why part of the leftover funds could not be used to upgrade school infrastructure and employ more qualified teachers.
The governor, however, replied to the Speaker that the state funds were being used judiciously, adding that he would soon present his stewardship.
Continuing, the FCT minister made a veiled reference to some prominent politicians who recently visited the state and met with his successor.
Wike said during their visits, the politicians showered praises on the governor, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress, noting that all they were after was the N600 billion in the state coffers.
He said those who disclosed the existence of such funds made a mistake, as it had now triggered a scramble to access the money. He added that an easy way to get money from the Rivers State Government was simply to abuse him and then “smile home” thereafter.
The former Rivers State governor noted that history had shown that politicians always had interest in the state’s funds, especially after hearing about the availability of such a huge amount. He described some of them as political fraudsters.
He stated, “Giving the experience in Nigerian politics, Nigerian politicians like Rivers’ money. I can tell you that. Go and study it. Nigerian politicians like Rivers’ money.
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