ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected claims by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that he was instrumental in his rise to power, describing such assertions as false and immature.
In a wide-ranging interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, Amaechi stated he would not “join issues with children,” adding that Wike had once served as his chief of staff and therefore could not claim seniority.
“I was once his boss. Whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no,” Amaechi said.
Wike, in response to Amaechi’s recent comment that he is “hungry” like many Nigerians, had accused the former governor of seeking political relevance and described him as being “hungry for power, not food.”
The FCT minister had earlier claimed that he “made Amaechi governor,” pointing to his pivotal role in the political processes of the time.
Amaechi, however, refuted Wike’s account, stating, “God, Peter Odili, the judiciary and the Rivers state people made me governor.”
He added that he appointed Wike as chief of staff, not commissioner for finance, to be able to monitor him closely.
“I wanted him as chief of staff so I could supervise him,” he said, describing Wike’s political claims as self-aggrandising.
“He made himself chief of staff. He made himself governor. He made himself minister. He made himself local government chairman.”
On national issues, Amaechi took aim at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, comparing him unfavourably to former chairman Maurice Iwu.
He praised Attahiru Jega, under whom he said the 2015 elections were more transparent, stating: “The current chairman of INEC, if he was the chairman in 2015, we would not have won. May God bless Jega.”
He accused INEC of bias and suppression, alleging that the commission is now preventing new political parties from being registered.
“Already, INEC has taken sides. INEC is no longer the umpire,” he said.
He described the current state of the electoral system as evidence of “state capture using the electoral institution as a machine.”
Amaechi also criticised the Bola Tinubu administration, accusing it of constitutional violations and economic opacity.
He questioned the utilisation of funds from subsidy removals on fuel and electricity, asking, “The president removed the subsidy. Where is the money?”
He continued, “If we deploy N8 trillion into this economy now, it will feel the impact.”
While acknowledging the need for infrastructure in the south-south, Amaechi questioned the prioritisation of the coastal road project over the East-West Road.
“Fix the East-West Road,” he said. “If we deploy that money to the economy, it will change our lives.”
On the reported suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the presidency, Amaechi declared it unconstitutional, stating that such a move is beyond the president’s powers.
“They don’t obey laws. They don’t obey the constitution,” he said, accusing the administration of stifling opposition and undermining democratic processes.
