Publish NDDC Audit or Resign — Amaechi’s Wife Dares Wike Over Wild ₦4bn Claim

Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, has firmly denied allegations made by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, that she received ₦4 billion monthly from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The allegations stem from claims made by Wike during a recent appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging the release of a forensic audit report on the NDDC. Wike suggested that the report, which has not been made public, includes evidence of financial misconduct involving Dame Amaechi and the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI), a non-governmental organisation she founded.

Responding through a statement issued by her media aide, Dike Bekwele, Dame Amaechi described the accusations as “wild and unfounded,” asserting that the claims are politically motivated attempts to tarnish her reputation. She stated that ESI’s collaboration with the NDDC has always been conducted transparently and that no evidence exists to support the claim of receiving ₦4 billion monthly. She emphasized that since the forensic audit report referenced by Wike has not been released, any allegations of indictment are speculative and baseless.

Calling Wike’s statements “absurd” and “a figment of imagination,” Dame Amaechi said neither she nor ESI had been involved in any financial wrongdoing. She challenged Wike to publicly release any portion of the audit report that implicates her or the organisation. In a pointed response, she also urged Wike to resign from his ministerial position and issue a public apology if he cannot substantiate his claims with evidence.

Dame Amaechi concluded by warning against what she called “media trials” and insisted that her name and the work of ESI must not be used as tools for political vendettas.