Wike: Abia, Benue were denied CBN loans because their governors supported me against Ayu

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has alleged that Abia and Benue states was denied loans by the Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) because their governors “supported” the call for Iyorchia Ayu to resign.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Kelvin Ebiri, Wike’s special assistant on media, the governor said this on Tuesday at the 58th birthday ceremony of Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia, in Umuobiakwa, Obingwa LGA of Abia.

The Rivers governor, however, did not give more details on the loan.

Wike alleged that Benue and Abia were denied the loans which were to be used for infrastructural development in their states, because their governors supported him on the demand for the removal of Ayu as the national chairman of the PDP.

While promising to reveal the identities of those who “stopped” the loan, Wike said it is the right of every state to access loans from the CBN.

“I will tell you very soon, how money that was supposed to come to Abia state for my friend to use to develop Abia state was stopped recently by those who think they own this country, by those who think Ikpeazu did not support them. Because Ikpeazu supported me, they went and stopped Abia state from getting the money they are supposed to get to develop Ariaria market,” Wike said.

“Okezie Ikpeazu is just governor of Abia State. He is not the owner of Abia State. He is just a symbol of Abia State. Anybody who fights Abia State, you’re not fighting Okezie, you are fighting the people of Abia.

“I will tell all of you how Abia and Benue states were denied the money that every state had gotten from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“I got it (CBN loan). Anybody who dares to stop my money knows I will not take it from them. You can see how people are wicked. They are not in office yet, but they are fighting people, stopping state money.

“Even as we have criticised President Muhammadu Buhari, he has never stopped our money any day, never.

“Let me tell all of you here; let me use the opportunity and Nigerians will hear. I never told him I will say this. Why would some people think some of us are not Nigerians — some people think some of us are slaves? We would never be slaves. I will never be a slave to anybody.”