Ex-Governor denies hosting Wole Soyinka to N82M dinner

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi has denied allegations that he hosted Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka to an N82 million dinnerwhile in office.

The claim was made by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Austin Tam-George on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, while addressing Government House correspondents in Port Harcourt.

Amaechi made the denial via a statement released by his media aide, David Iyofor.

It reads:

“Wike must stop these silly distractions. Rivers people are not interested in his lies and witch-hunt. Rather, Rivers people want to know what will happen to their children that he stopped and cancelled the funding of their scholarships abroad.”

“Rivers people want to know why the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), an agency setup by law is no longer functioning under Wike? Why instead of quality education, a standard set by his predecessor, under Wike, grasses and weeds have taken over the beautiful schools built by Amaechi?”

“Rivers people want to know why the standard health facilities and services put in place by the Amaechi administration are rotting away, not this petty rambling. Rivers people want to know why the Wike government does not care about the security of their lives and property, as violence and criminals have taken over.”

“Rivers people want to know why it feels as if there is no government in Rivers State, and this is in spite of the billions of naira that has accrued to the Wike administration and the tens of billions of naira borrowed.”

Tam-George had also said that the state would demand a refund from Soyinka if it discovered that he had collected cash from Amaechi out of the sum.