Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday dismissed suggestions that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has the political clout to support any opposition effort to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during his monthly press briefing in Abuja, Wike responded to Amaechi’s recent criticism of the Tinubu administration during his 60th birthday celebration. The minister accused Amaechi of misleading the public and overstating his influence.
“I don’t know how somebody will use his 60th birthday to tell lies,” Wike said. “Years after leaving office, he’s talking about zoning and power because he’s hungry. That shows failure.”
Wike questioned Amaechi’s credibility and record, citing the former Transportation Minister’s inability to deliver 25 percent of votes in Rivers State for then-President Muhammadu Buhari in both the 2015 and 2019 elections.
“You say he is influential—what influence?” Wike said. “He was governor in 2015 but couldn’t produce a successor. As a sitting minister in 2019, he couldn’t secure basic support for Buhari. We overrate people.”
Wike also accused Amaechi of hypocrisy, referencing televised statements where Amaechi claimed to dislike money, despite allegations of financial misconduct. He criticized the former governor for downplaying the seriousness of hunger and poverty in Nigeria.
The remarks underscore ongoing political tension between the two former governors of Rivers State, both of whom have remained central figures in national politics.
