Kufre George
Media Aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel , Reverend Richard Peters and senator Bassey Albert Akpan have disagreed over the revelation by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, that president Muhammadu Buhari had paid 13 percent derivation arrears since 1999 to all Governors of Niger Delta States.
Senator Akpan, who is the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP during a ward-to-ward campaign in East Itam, Itu Local Government of Akwa Ibom State, said Wike’s disclosure has confirmed his exposition that Governor Emmanuel received 280 billion naira from the Federal government without accounting for it.
OBA at the ward campaign alleged that he was offered billions of naira to leave his governorship ambition and return to the senate but he rejected the offer.
He noted that the money was the proceeds from the state government’s share of 13 percent derivation arrears paid to Niger Delta States which amounted to six hundred billion naira already collected by the governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration.
However, Governor Emmanuel’s Media Aide, Peters in a press conference described the allegations as ridiculous and defamatory.
In a statement, the Governor’s aide wondered why people would choose to subscribe to defamation as a tool for political communication.
