The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over recent comments suggesting he is hungry due to Nigeria’s economic hardship.
Wike dismissed the remarks as disingenuous, claiming that Amaechi is merely “hungry for power, not food.”
Wike made the comments during a media parley held Monday in Abuja. The political tension between the two former governors of Rivers State reignited after Amaechi, while speaking at an event to mark his 60th birthday, remarked: “We’re all hungry, all of us are. If you’re not hungry, I am. For us in the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power, we can remove him from this power.”
Amaechi also criticized the Nigerian political elite, claiming that the system lacks ideological grounding and is driven by “sharing” rather than development.
In a scathing response, Wike accused Amaechi of manipulating public sentiment to serve his political ambitions. “A man who was Speaker from 1999 to 2007, Governor from 2007 to 2015, and Minister from 2015 to 2023 suddenly remembers that he is hungry? He never mentioned hunger during his decades in power,” Wike retorted.
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Wike further questioned the sincerity of Amaechi’s concern for the masses, stating: “Now they’re regrouping. They’re only hungry for power. He joined Atiku and is now crying hunger. He’s trying to exploit public frustration to stay politically relevant.”
Highlighting Amaechi’s electoral shortcomings, Wike recalled how the ex-minister, despite being the Director-General of President Buhari’s campaign, failed to secure 25% of the vote in his home state during the elections. “He couldn’t even deliver Rivers for Buhari. Now he wants to remove the President? How — through a military coup?” Wike asked rhetorically.
He went on to reaffirm his loyalty to President Tinubu, saying: “I am not a liability; I am an asset. Whether people like me or not, I will ensure Tinubu secures a second term.”
Wike’s comments come amid reports of political coalitions forming ahead of the 2027 general elections, with several power players, including Amaechi, allegedly exploring new alliances.
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