Dame Amaechi, wife of Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, has denied allegations by Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), that she received N4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Earlier this month, Wike asked President Bola Tinubu to release the report of the forensic audit carried out on NDDC, saying that it contains records about how Amaechi’s wife allegedly benefited from the intervention agency.
The FCT minister also claimed that the report was shelved to protect those who might be indicted in any form of fraud.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Dike Bekwele, her media assistant, Amaechi’s wife described Wike’s allegations as “wild and unfounded”.
She accused the FCT minister of using the claims as political blackmail aimed at undermining her reputation and the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI), the company involved.
Dame said ESI, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) she founded, has maintained a transparent partnership with the NDDC.
She said the forensic audit report cited by Wike has not been made public, which made any claims of indictment against her or the ESI baseless.
“It is both absurd and a mere figment of Mr. Wike’s imagination,” the statement reads.
“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.
“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 the public glare for scrutiny.
“It will be preposterous for Wike to allege that the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) or Dame Judith Amaechi was indicted in the NDDC forensic audit report which has not been published to the Nigerian Public. It is both absurd, baseless, and a mere figment of Mr. Wike’s imaginations.
“We expect that Minister Nyesom Wike will remain patient to his prayers answered on the unpublished NDDC forensic audit report, than to engage and indulge in media trials on a Live National telecast.
“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.
“In the likely event that Wike fails to provide such a 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.”
