The Presidency has slammed Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike over his outburst against the decision of the federal government through the Council of State to grant pardons to some convicted people.
The presidency in a statement on Saturday released by the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Garba Shehu said Governor Wike was wrong to be publicly calling out the government on its decision after failing to attend a meeting to which he was duly invited.
NaijaliveTv reports the exchange of words between the Presidency and the Rivers State Governor is predicated on the decision of the Council of State during its meeting on Wednesday to grant pardons to 159 persons including former Governors Jolly Nyame of Taraba and Joshua Dariye of Plateau.
However, reacting to the development, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Saturday said President Buhari is only deceiving Nigerians about his claim to be fighting against corruption.
He slammed Buhari for pardoning former Plateau and Taraba Governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame alleging that both men were freed for political reasons ahead of the 2023 elections.
He berated the federal government for taking such a decision arguing that the step has ridiculed Nigeria before the international community.
The Rivers Governor also questioned the rationale behind the choice of those granted pardon and wondered why James Ibori didn’t get a similar treatment.
But in a swift response, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu took to his Twitter account late on Saturday night to also slam Wike for his outburst.
He said Wike failed to attend the meeting and his deputy who attended on his behalf switched off her camera, making it difficult to ascertain if she really followed the proceedings.
Shehu cautioned Wike to stop playing politics with sensitive national issues when he failed to follow the right procedure when decisions were been taken.
“I do not see the moral justification for Governor Wike’s criticism of the decision of the government to pardon Governors Dariye and Nyame at a meeting to which he was duly invited but did not attend.
“The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo who joined the Council of State meeting virtually switched off her camera so it was difficult to determine whether she sat behind the dark screen or just walked away after first joining.
“If the Governor felt so strongly about the pardons, the right was for him or his representative to sit through the meeting and assert views. This did not do. A press release after the meeting is bolekaja politics,” Shehu tweeted.
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