Former Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, George Nwaeke, has accused the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of overseeing an unprecedented theft of public funds.
However, his kinsmen from Omuma Local Council have distanced themselves from his allegations, calling them an attempt to destabilize the state.
In a press briefing over the weekend, Nwaeke, who recently resigned as Head of Service, stated that he would provide evidence to security agencies when required.
“I cannot also give all my evidence to the media; some are sensitive. I will give details to the proper authorities when required of me,” he said.
“The level of stealing of public funds and assets witnessed in the last two years is mind-boggling. I have never experienced it in the history of the state, as we also had the highest allocation ever within this period.”
During an earlier briefing in Abuja, Nwaeke alleged that Fubara instructed his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, to burn down the Rivers House of Assembly.
Reacting to the allegations, Fubara dismissed them, stating that Nwaeke had been “compromised” and was being “coerced” into making false claims against him.
Speaking with journalists on Friday evening, Nwaeke’s wife, Florence, said she had lost communication with her husband after he granted an interview about the Rivers political crisis.
She alleged that he had been kidnapped and that his interview was given under duress.
Nwaeke, however, refuted claims that he was forced to make the allegations, stating, “Fubara did not address the allegation of plotting to bomb the Assembly Complex.”
He further added that his wife was not in a position to speak for him regarding state civil service matters.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of Omuma stakeholders, Maximus Nwafor dismissed Nwaeke’s allegations as false and unfounded, pledging loyalty to Governor Fubara.
“A sad day for the people of Omuma and Rivers in general as Dr George Nweke displays his true nature. It is with a heavy heart that we, as Omuma stakeholders, address you today in reaction to the actions of one of our sons.
“We are not all together astounded by Nweke’s recent propaganda against our dear governor, Fubara. We never imagined that it would take this dimension of peddling blatant falsehood against an innocent man who is his benefactor and who has prioritised the well-being of Omuma after eight horrific years of the last administration.”
The immediate past Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from the governor and his Chief of Staff shortly after his resignation.
“We are in good authority that Nweke, who a few days ago had reached out to the Chief of Staff and governor for financial assistance, out of impatience, sought other means to get it, including blackmailing the governor and some top officials in the state.
“From his press briefing, it is obvious that he has been compromised to proclaim this level of falsehood. We state categorically that there is no element of truth in all Nweke said in his press briefing, as he was not a member of the local government inner caucus, much more being part of the state caucus.”
