Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of Rivers state, made a jab at Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), yesterday, saying that they are not on the same page and that he will not speak to “children”.
Despite continuously refraining from discussing politics or bringing up Wike, Amaechi said in an Arise Television interview that he could not publicly attack Wike because he was the one who appointed him chief of staff.
Wike earlier launched a vicious attack on his long-time adversary and predecessor, dismissing Amaechi’s widely shared statement, “We’re all hungry,” made during his 60th birthday celebration last week. The statement claimed that the former Rivers governor is hungry for political importance rather than food.
However, Amaechi also denied Wike’s accusation that he helped him become governor, emphasising that his election was the result of God, previous Governor Peter Odili, the judiciary, and the people of Rivers State.
Despite his refusal to divulge the FCT minister’s name during the interview, he pushed reporters to question Wike about how he helped him become governor. I used to be his boss. Regardless of his feelings about it. He was hired by me. “I could have declined,” he continued.
Despite demands to appoint Wike as a commissioner of finance, Amaechi added that he appointed Wike chief of staff so that he could keep a tight eye on him. He also pointed out that Wike never admitted that anyone had ever assisted him.
He pointed out that Wike’s chats lacked “maturity”, noting that politicians no longer give a damn about their family names, which is why they act without considering the consequences.
He claimed that as governor, Amaechi constructed multiple flyovers without creating any noise, and he was taken aback by the media’s focus on the flyovers that Wike had constructed in Rivers.
The former minister also conveyed his dissatisfaction at the projects he completed being abandoned and destroyed, emphasising that he gets upset every time he witnesses his creations being defaced.
Amaechi further said that the judiciary was losing respect and that the Bola Tinubu administration was not abiding by the law.
“One funny thing about the current government is that they don’t even obey laws. They don’t obey the constitution. They’re not allowing the opposition to register political parties. I was 34 when I became Speaker. The process was a bit more transparent than you have now,” he emphasised.
Amaechi further reaffirmed his opposition to Siminalayi Fubara, the elected governor of Rivers State, being suspended, claiming that the constitution does not grant the president the authority to do so.
In addition, the former governor of Rivers demanded responsibility for how the money saved from gasoline and energy subsidies was spent.
“The president removed the subsidy. Where is the money? The president removed the subsidy on electricity. It got to a point where oil subsidies got to ₦8 trillion. If we deploy N8 trillion into this economy now, it will feel the impact.
“Let me also tell you, do we need the coastal road in the manner that it was awarded? Yes, the south-south needs the road. But fix the east-west road. I don’t know how many trillions. If we deploy that money to the economy, it will change our lives. Who is collecting that money? The president needs to tell us,” he maintained.
