The political feud between former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has escalated, with Amaechi stating pointedly that he will not descend into a verbal brawl with “children.”
Speaking during a live interview on ARISE TV on Tuesday, Amaechi was reacting to Wike’s recent dismissal of his remarks about widespread hunger in Nigeria.
“God, Peter Odili, the judiciary, and the Rivers people made me governor. Ask him how he made me governor. I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children,” Amaechi remarked.
The exchange was ignited by Amaechi’s comments at his 60th birthday celebration, where he lamented the deepening economic hardship in Nigeria and questioned the nation’s trajectory.
“We’re all hungry, all of us are. If you’re not hungry, I am,” Amaechi declared. “If you want the opposition to remove the man in power, we can. But what is important is how do we change this country?”
Amaechi also took a critical swipe at Nigeria’s elite class and economic structure, saying the real issue lies with followership and a lack of true capital investment or production.
In swift retaliation, Wike, during a Monday media chat, branded Amaechi’s remarks as hypocritical and politically driven. He accused his predecessor of attempting to exploit Nigeria’s suffering to regain relevance.
“He did not talk about hunger when he was a super minister of transportation. Now, two years after leaving office, he is suddenly concerned. That’s not hunger for the people—it’s hunger for power,” Wike said.
Wike further accused Amaechi of insulting Nigerians by reducing their plight to political rhetoric.
Amaechi, however, dismissed Wike’s claims of having a hand in his rise to power, asserting that his appointment as governor was a product of divine will, legal backing, and public support. He went on to reveal why he made Wike his Chief of Staff rather than Commissioner for Finance during his administration.
“That week, Mohammed Adoke came from Abuja and asked me to make him (Wike) Commissioner for Finance. I refused. I said no, he has to work under me. I wanted him as Chief of Staff so I could supervise him.”
Amaechi didn’t stop there. He ridiculed Wike’s political self-promotion, saying:
“You know, he made himself Chief of Staff. He made himself Governor. He made himself Minister. He made himself Local Government Chairman. I was once his boss—whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no.”
He concluded with a subtle dig at the current political climate, lamenting the erosion of dignity and decorum in public life:
“There’s no more respect for family names.”
The ongoing drama between Amaechi and Wike continues to stir debate within political circles and among Nigerians, particularly in Rivers State, where their rivalry has long influenced the political landscape.
