26bn oil contracts: Wike accuses APC of corruption

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government of plunging the nation into its worst depth of corruption since independence.

Wike described as “mind-boggling” and “monumental corruption” the illegal $26bn oil contracts unveiled in a leaked memo by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

Wike said the situation had brought to the fore the high level sleaze amongst top officials of the Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The governor said this on Friday at the Government House, Umuahia, Abia State, while on a visit to the state to inaugurate a construction equipment and hold a meeting with his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Wike said, “When they said judges were accused of corruption, they were told to step aside. They have not told anyone to step aside so that they can conclude investigation. When you are in office, investigation will be compromised.

“It is for Nigerians to see. Are we fighting corruption? The corruption they are fighting is against some people who are their opponents. All of us are victims. I have never seen this kind of scandal in all my political career. We have never heard of it like this.

“What about this $26bn (N9tn) contract scam? And nobody is talking. Everywhere is quiet.”

The governor said the anti-corruption fight was simply aimed at brow-beating the opposition because the APC had metamorphosed into a monumental failure.

“So many promises were made, but none has been fulfilled. Every day, what they have to say is corruption, corruption; there is no other statement. Corruption from day one and corruption till the day they will leave office. What have they achieved? No roads, no infrastructure. I could not come to Abia by road. It is not possible,” he said.

Commending Ikpeazu for his commitment to rural infrastructure, Wike urged the Abia people to continue to support their governor for greater achievement.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said Wike had no moral right to tell anybody to resign based on allegation of corruption.

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