Wike opens up on claims of being sponsor of NDA

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday released an official statement in reaction to claims that he was one of the sponsors of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), a militant group that has claimed responsibility for a barrage of bombings on oil facilities in the country.

Wike thereby vehemently denied the claim by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), group that recently split from the NDA.

The RNDA said in a statement on Sunday, that former President Goodluck Jonathan, governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers State) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State), among many other personalities, were some of their alleged sponsors.

But Governor Wike, in a statement through his spokesperson, Simeon Nwakaudu, denied the claims that he was a sponsor of NDA, describing the group’s claim as “false media propaganda.”

According to the Rivers governor, “our attention has been drawn to yet another false media propaganda wherein it was claimed that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is one of the sponsors of the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers. We unequivocally deny this false report, which was fabricated with the aim of diverting attention from the superlative performance of Governor Wike.”

The governor added that, the propaganda machine was a concoction of lies about Rivers State; while he urged all well-meaning persons to disregard the current falsehood credited to a faceless splinter group of NDA.

“This falsehood may not be unconnected to Governor Wike’s speech at the just-concluded conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors where he publicly declared that he and other stakeholders in the state have prevented militant groups from sabotaging oil installations, as is the case elsewhere. Not happy with this declaration, they resolved to concoct another ill-conceived report trying to mislead the people,” the governor’s statement said.

It said the propagandists represent retrogression, deliberate falsehood, under-development and biased unprofessional journalism; adding that Governor Wike was a patriotic leader, committed to the sustenance and improvement of the nation’s democracy and economy.

The governor’s statement also said he is a promoter of security and good governance; and cannot be disparaged by alleged “concocted publications from APC media agents.”