By Our Reporter
Judith Amaechi, wife of former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has firmly denied an explosive allegation by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, claiming she received ₦4 billion monthly for one year from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In a statement issued Tuesday by her media aide, Dike Bekwele, Mrs. Amaechi described the allegation as “baseless, false, and politically motivated,” accusing Wike of blackmail and media trial.
Wike made the claim during a recent live television interview, alleging that Amaechi’s NGO, the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI), siphoned ₦4 billion monthly from the NDDC—without offering any evidence—and urged President Bola Tinubu to release the long-awaited forensic audit report of the commission.
Mrs. Amaechi rebutted the claim in strong terms, stating categorically that neither she nor the ESI had ever received such funds.
“There is absolutely no iota of truth in the allegation made by Mr. Wike,” the statement said.
“Dame Amaechi did not and has never received ₦4 billion monthly from the NDDC.”
She challenged Wike to publicly produce any version of the forensic audit report that implicates her or ESI in any wrongdoing. Failing that, she urged him to resign as FCT Minister and issue “an unreserved apology to the nation.”
ESI, founded by Mrs. Amaechi in 2011, is a registered non-governmental organization that has partnered with agencies like the NDDC to implement youth and women empowerment programs in the Niger Delta. The statement clarified that such collaborations were above board, reciprocal, and well-documented.
Rejecting the idea of any secret payments or mismanagement, the statement said:
“The counterpart funding between the Empowerment Support Initiative and the NDDC is in public glare for scrutiny.”
The statement concluded by warning Wike against continued media attacks and urged him to focus on governance rather than making unsubstantiated allegations for “cheap political points.”
Mrs. Amaechi also cautioned that such public conduct from a federal minister could tarnish the nation’s image and deter foreign investment.