THE former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has questioned why the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, continues to show him disrespect.
Speaking during an interview today, Amaechi challenged Wike to prove his popularity by walking with him — without security — from Abuja to Port Harcourt.
“Let the FCT Minister come and let’s walk from the airport to Port Harcourt—no police, no army, just the two of us,” Amaechi said.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t respect people like us. I’m older than him. I brought him into politics. Who is he?”
Amaechi argued that focusing too much on Wike distracts the opposition from the bigger picture — preparing Nigerians for the 2027 presidential election.
“If the opposition keeps centering discussions around Wike, we’ll lose sight of what matters. The 2027 election is not about political parties — it’s the people versus the Tinubu administration,” he asserted.
When asked why he remained silent during the political feud between Wike and Governor Sim Fubara, Amaechi replied, “Why should I intervene? Look at the outcome. Doesn’t my silence speak volumes? Eventually, someone surrendered. And now, we can all see the ongoing looting in the government.”
Amaechi Confirms Exit From APC
Amaechi also confirmed that he has left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Yes, I resigned. I think it was on Tuesday,” he said. “I sent my resignation letter through a staff member in my village to the ward chairman. That’s if there’s still a party called APC.”
Longstanding Rivalry
Amaechi served as Rivers State Governor from 2007 to 2015 and was succeeded by Wike, who governed the state until 2023 before his appointment as FCT Minister by President Tinubu.
At his 60th birthday celebration, Amaechi had expressed willingness to join a coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to unseat President Tinubu, stating he was “hungry” for change.
In response, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s remarks as a hunger for power, not food.
“I don’t understand why anyone would choose his 60th birthday to tell lies,” Wike said during a June 2 media chat in Abuja.
“He was pampered for years — Speaker for eight years, Governor for eight, and Minister for another eight. He never complained about hunger then, not even when borrowing money for projects.”