The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has publicly challenged former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to tell the whole world why he has not won any election since 2011.
Wike further questioned Amaechi’s political influence in Rivers State, asking his supporters to identify an election he had won in the state since their political relationship broke down.
“Since I left him in 2011, after 2011, mention one election that he has ever won in Rivers State,” he said.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory also criticised former Amaechi, for blaming the President Bola Tinubu administration for the death of his mother, Madam Mary Amaechi.
Wike accused Amaechi of politicising his mother’s death after the former governor alleged that he was unable to afford her medication because of the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
Amaechi, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress in the 2027 general elections, made the claim on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
He also said that the only thing that could make his late mother rest well was for the ADC to win the 2027 elections.
Reacting on Saturday, Wike described the comments as an attempt to exploit the death of a loved one for political purposes, saying Amaechi should not blame Tinubu for his inability to provide medication for his mother.
The FCT minister spoke at an interactive meeting with the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council, leaders and stakeholders of Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas at Ekpeye House, Ahoada, Rivers State.
“I think we should respect the dead, but anybody who watched television last night will cry when somebody is bringing his own mother to play politics. He had a mother that we thought should be resting peacefully.
“In one of the videos, he said, if ADC wins the election, his mother will be very happy. So the only condition is that your mother will not be happy if ADC does not win. Too bad. She will not be happy because ADC will not win,” Wike said.
The minister questioned how Amaechi, who served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years, governor for eight years and Minister of Transportation for another eight years, could claim that the Tinubu administration’s policies prevented him from buying drugs for his sick mother.
“Again, he said it was the Tinubu administration that made him not to be able to buy drugs for his mother. He was a speaker for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. He was a governor for eight years, from 2007 to 2015, and a minister for eight years, from 2015 to 2023.
“And your mother was sick, and you are telling the world that because of the policy of Tinubu, you couldn’t buy drugs for your mother and so your mother died,” he said.
Wike also questioned why Amaechi’s friends who allegedly arrived in private jets for his mother’s burial could not have assisted with her medical expenses.
He said, “Yet, at your mother’s burial, look at the people who came with private jets to bury a woman whom you could not buy drugs for because you were taking care of other people.
“You couldn’t take care of your mother because you had to take care of other people. Yet, you didn’t know that you have friends who have private jets who would come down to bury a mother who you could not buy drugs for her to survive.”
Wike said Amaechi could not use his mother’s death to attract sympathy from Rivers voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
“You think that people will pity you. Nobody will pity you because people know you are telling lies,” he said.
The minister also dismissed the prospect of Amaechi and the ADC winning the 2027 election in Rivers State, saying the former governor had little to show for his years in public office.
Wike challenged Amaechi to account for projects initiated during his eight-year tenure as governor, including the Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital and the Rivers State monorail.
He questioned the reported expenditure of $39.2m on the hospital project and N68bn on the monorail, asking Amaechi to explain what happened to the projects.
“Let him go and show them the foundation, the foundation of that hospital. I said foundation. If there’s foundation, let him go free,” Wike said.
He also questioned about $10m allegedly spent on an anti-malaria fumigation programme involving Cuban experts during Amaechi’s administration.
“Ask him about the fumigation of Rivers State with people from Cuba in which $10 million was spent. Ask him whether mosquitoes have stopped biting us in Rivers State,” he said.
Wike further challenged Amaechi to identify what he attracted to the Ekpeye area during his 24 years in top political positions.
“Someone was Speaker of the House of Assembly for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years, that is 24 years in top leadership positions. What can anybody point to that he attracted to Ekpeye Land in all those 24 years? Nothing! Not one single thing!” he said.
The FCT minister also accused Amaechi of cancelling contracts involving an Ekpeye indigene, Chief Chibudom Nwuche, at the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency while serving as Minister of Transportation.
Wike urged Rivers residents to assess politicians based on their records in office, while canvassing support for President Tinubu and candidates associated with the Rainbow Coalition.
He said Tinubu had demonstrated commitment to the South-South through appointments, including the appointment of Nwuche as Chairman of the South-South Development Commission.
Earlier, the President-General of Uzugbani Ekpeye, Dr Alabo Ihuowo, thanked Wike for supporting indigenes of the area to secure political appointments in the Tinubu administration.
He also recalled Wike’s achievements as Rivers governor, including the construction of roads, schools and hospitals.
Credit: punchng.com
