Duncan Mighty tackles Amaechi over alleged unpaid fee

An alleged N50m debt is generating a controversy between Port-Harcourt-based singer, Duncan Mighty, and Rivers State government, writes Jayne Augoye
What happens when two personalities hitherto thought to be best of pals fall apart? Well, the answer remains unknown for now. So, fans are awaiting the outcome of a cold war between self-styled Port-Harcourt first son, Duncan ‘Wene’ Mighty, and River State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
In a move which has attracted diverse views, the 30-year-old singer issued a press statement on Monday, alleging that the governor owed him N50m after engaging his services three years ago.
Strangely, the singer known to be very vocal about his dealings on his Facebook and Twitter accounts has not posted anything on both sites in this regard.
Also, feelers have revealed that some members of the Mighty’s camp are unhappy that he had to take this route, suggesting that it may affect his career which enjoys the goodwill of south-south residents. Music critics, on the other hand, have described the development as a major public relations blunder. But Mighty is not bothered for now.
The singer takes a trip down memory-lane in the lengthy statement titled ‘Call to Governor Amaechi to pay me for services rendered to him and his government. Friends now call me a traitor/saboteur’.
It partly read, “It is on record that on March 30, 2011, I, Mr. Okechukwu Duncan Mighty, single-handedly organised a Celebrity Youth Endorsement Concert in Port Harcourt where I successfully endorsed over 18,000 youths who are eligible voters for Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
“During the organisation of the event under the express approval of the governor and his cabinet, he gave me the sum of N10m through the then Secretary to the state Government, Senator Magnus Abe, which totally went into the project. The governor also gave me his word that the balance of N50m would be paid to me as soon as possible.”
The singer also lamented that despite the fact that he had to raise funds through different sources, including personal savings, loans and credit facilities to organise the event, he had yet to get his balance.
“I also visited the Government House on several occasions, and all efforts to get my money proved abortive. However, the last straw that broke the camel’s back was when the governor systematically started avoiding my calls and personal visits,” he said.
But the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, has said that she was not aware that the artiste was awarded any contract by the governor or the state government.
Semenitari challenged the musician to prove that Amaechi or any other person in government engaged him to mobilise youths for the governor re-election in 2011.
She explained that it was not enough to allege that the governor hired him for N60 million and added that it was imperative that Mighty show evidence that such contract existed.
“I am not aware that the governor or any person in government as at that time hired him (Duncan Mighty) to mobilise for the governor. If he is sure of what he is saying, he should show evidence.
“For now, I don’t think I can respond to something that is baseless and without proof. He should be able to show evidence of who actually hired him,” Semenitari said on Monday, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.