In a bold rebuttal to recent claims by his political rival and successor, Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has dismissed assertions that his rise to power in 2007 was the result of political patronage, declaring instead that it was a product of divine will, judicial intervention, and the support of then-Governor Dr. Peter Odili.
Speaking during a candid interview marking his 60th birthday, Amaechi challenged journalists and the Nigerian public to scrutinize Wike’s long-standing claim that he “made Amaechi governor.”
“Nobody made me governor but God, Dr. Peter Odili, and the Nigerian judiciary,” Amaechi stated firmly. “Surprisingly, no journalist has ever asked that man that said he made me governor how he did it? Nobody has ever asked that question.”
Amaechi, whose political journey took a dramatic turn in 2007 when the Supreme Court reinstated him as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite being substituted before the elections, credited the judiciary with altering the course of his career. He specifically mentioned legal luminary Lateef Fagbemi—now Attorney General of the Federation—as a key figure in that legal battle.
“I went to court. Lateef Fagbemi was my lawyer. He’s now the Attorney General of the Federation. Maybe you should ask him.”
The former governor also dismissed another frequently cited narrative: that he offered Wike the post of Commissioner for Finance during his administration. According to Amaechi, the suggestion originated from former Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke, who came to Port Harcourt to discuss Wike’s interest in the portfolio.
“It is not true that I offered him the position,” Amaechi clarified. “I said no, because he has to work under me. I wanted him as Chief of Staff so that I can supervise him.”
Responding to suggestions that this reflected a lack of trust, Amaechi was blunt: “It means the governor supervising his staff. He made himself Chief of Staff, he made himself Governor, he made himself Minister, he made himself local government chairman. So end it there. Don’t go further.”
Reflecting on his political career, Amaechi—who previously served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Minister of Transportation under President Muhammadu Buhari—expressed dismay over the current state of affairs in Rivers. He cited the abandonment of key projects initiated under his administration, including model secondary schools, health centres, and the ambitious Greater Port Harcourt City project.
In a stark comment on his absence from the state in recent years, Amaechi offered a terse yet telling reason:
“That’s why I don’t go to Rivers State, because it gives you mental disorder.”
His remarks come amid renewed political tension in Rivers and increasing speculation about his potential re-entry into frontline politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
