The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a political liability with no electoral value in Rivers State or the South-South region.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s political relevance, arguing that the former Rivers State governor lacks the capacity to deliver votes and questioning why he was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 presidential election.
According to Wike, Amaechi’s selection could only have been influenced by financial considerations rather than political strength.
“If you are choosing a Vice Presidential candidate, a running mate, I’m sure the only factor that has been used to choose Rotimi Amaechi may be financial because the former governor lacks the capacity to deliver votes,” Wike said.
To support his argument, the FCT minister cited previous election results, insisting that Amaechi had repeatedly failed to deliver Rivers State for candidates he backed despite occupying influential positions in government and political campaigns.
“He has never won a presidential election after 2011 when I was the Director of Campaign. Never! He was the Director-General of Buhari in 2015 when he was governor; why did he not get 25%?
“He was the DG in 2019 when he was a Super Minister; why did he not get 25%? He supported Atiku in 2023; how come he didn’t get 15%?” Wike queried.
The minister argued that political relevance should be measured by sustained grassroots support and tangible contributions to one’s state, challenging Amaechi to point to landmark achievements he attracted to Rivers State and the South-South during his years in federal office.
Wike also accused his predecessor of political inconsistency, recalling that Amaechi had criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary as flawed before later participating in and benefiting from the same political process.
“This was the same man, just one month ago, who said the APC primary is manual, irregularity, and corruption.
“How can we talk about removing a government that we are saying there is no election, and then we are in another election?
“The same man now is benefiting from the corruption, from irregularities of the same system,” he said.
The FCT minister further argued that Amaechi would struggle to secure support across the South-South because of his political record, particularly his opposition to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015 and what he described as Amaechi’s role in the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
“A South-South person wanted to go for a second term. You were proud you kicked him out. Now, will South-South be happy for you to be Vice President?
“You think that people have forgotten?” Wike asked.
Drawing a comparison between successive administrations, Wike maintained that Rivers State has received more federal attention under the current government than at any other time since 1999, pointing to projects such as the Bonny Road as evidence.
“Never in the history of Rivers State, from 1999, of those who claimed to be very close to the President, have we had the type of attention that Rivers State has now,” he said.
