The Rivers State Government has vowed to stand by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in spite of the money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Magnus Abe, made this known in Port Harcourt on Saturday shortly after he arrived the state in company with the Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Wike and other top officials of the state.
Abe, who addressed newsmen at the Air Force Base, said there was no truth in the allegation that Wike laundered state funds and challenged those who had contrary evidences to go to court and prove them.
He noted that the speculation that the chief of staff converted one of his personal accounts to Government House Account was untrue, noting that there was no bank or accounting software that would allow such irregularity.
The SSG blamed the ordeal of the governor‘s aide on the negative side of politics that was being practised in the country but maintained that the government would continue to be resolute in its policies and programmes.
He said, “Let me say categorically that there is absolutely, absolutely, absolutely no substance to any of the allegations that have been made against the Government of Rivers State or against the person of the Chief of State to the Governor of Rivers State.
“All what you have been reading in the papers is part of the usual politics of Nigeria. You heard all the stories about the change of a private account to Government House Account.
“When we got to the court, there was nothing in the charges that indicated that and that is simple. It is because it did not happen.
“There was no change of any private account to Government House account and there is no software in any bank that would allow for such a change to be done.
“There is nowhere such a thing could happen. All the allegations you have heard are absolutely without foundation. What has happened has not in anyway affected the commitment of the government to continue to give service to the people of this state.”
Abe, who was arrested alongside the COS, said their travail would not in anyway affect the commitment of the state government to deliver quality services to the people.
According to him, the state government spends less then 22 per cent of its resources in recurrent expenditure, saying this is one of the least in the country.
Besides, he said the Amaechi-led government was currently spending less than 50 per cent of what used to be used as Government House expenditure by previous administrations in the state.
He thanked the people, who came out to welcome the governor and asked them to disperse peacefully to their homes.
He said, “What has happened is that the EFCC has just gone to Government House accounts to read through expenditures and concluded that is money laundering and we know that that is not correct.
“That is why we have said that the Rivers State Government will stand by Nyesom Wike because what he has been doing is the job of the government which he has been asked to do and anybody who has a contrary opinion should go to the court and prove it.”