Former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has reportedly snubbed his cousin and former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, during the burial ceremony of Amaechi’s mother in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday.
A video from the ceremony showed Amaechi, upon his arrival, moving around the venue and exchanging handshakes with guests and dignitaries.
However, as he approached the section where Omehia was seated, Amaechi appeared to walk past him without exchanging pleasantries, instead reaching out to greet other guests seated beside the former governor.
The moment reportedly caught the attention of some people at the venue, with the reason for the apparent snub remaining unclear.
The incident has sparked interest because of the long-standing political history between Amaechi and Omehia, as well as their respective relationships with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Omehia became governor of Rivers State in 2007 but was removed from office by the Supreme Court following a legal challenge by Amaechi over the PDP governorship ticket. The court ordered Omehia’s removal after about six months in office and recognised Amaechi as the rightful candidate.
Amaechi and Wike were subsequently political allies before their relationship deteriorated over a major political disagreement.
Omehia later aligned himself with Wike during the political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, although his relationship with Wike also became strained at a later stage.
Against this backdrop, the apparent snub at the burial has generated speculation among observers. However, there is no confirmation that the incident was politically motivated, and Amaechi has not publicly stated why he appeared to bypass Omehia at the event.
