The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reveal the names of state governors who are stealing government funds.
Wike challenged the President while speaking at the inauguration of the Mgbuosimini Internal Roads in Rivers State on Friday.
This comes a day after President Buhari stated that governors prioritise building flyovers and other infrastructures over the well-being of their citizens.
The federal government had also in the week stated that governors deprived local governments of funds and allocations due to them.
Reacting, Wike said, “I want to challenge Mr. President, Mr. President you are a leader and we believe as leaders you must come out and tell Nigerians, who are those committing this offence? You said the governors are taking local government funds, I want to say in the name of Almighty God I have never touched local government funds one day, I have never and I have no reason to do that.”
“So Mr. President who are those people? You know them, tell us. It is not good to say what you call class defamation, you say, governors, please I am not one of those governors, so Mr. President please spare me, tell Nigerians that the Integrity governors are not part of them, we have integrity, we are not part of them.”
He went on to state that when he was a local government chairman, the then-governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, never touched funds meant for the LGAs.
“When I was chairman of local government under Dr. Peter Odili, he never touched one Naira of local government funds. When I was chairman, nobody touched my funds and I see no reason why I will begin to touch other people’s funds”, he stated.
