Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has dismissed as false the claim by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that he (Amaechi) made him politically.
The Minister made this known on Friday while appearing on Channels TV’s programme Politics Today, in a right of reply to Amaechi, who had stated on Thursday that he was responsible for Wike’s political rise.
Wike countered the claim, saying he instead risked his life and spent all he had to ensure Amaechi became Governor of Rivers State, at a time when Amaechi was in Ghana and Celestine Omehia was holding sway as Governor.
He said:
“When he was in Ghana, I would fly there and he would come to pick me up at the Ghana International Airport wearing a face cap. I would see him and shed tears.
“In fact, I risked my life for him. I spent all I had. There was a time I called my wife and gave her my will, telling her I was taking a risk by travelling to Ghana and if I didn’t come back, so be it.”
Responding to Amaechi’s claim that he depends on his wife for his wellbeing and that he is not wealthy, Wike said:
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“It is unfortunate for a former governor (Rotimi Amaechi) to say that his wife is an industrialist when she is actually a trader. I respect women and rarely discuss them.”
Wike further alleged:
“Amaechi’s wife collects N4 billion monthly from the NDDC for 12 months to mobilise Niger Delta women. I call on President Tinubu to release the forensic audit of the NDDC. If they release it and it’s not in the audit, I will resign as FCT Minister.”
On Amaechi’s statement that Nigerians are hungry and angry, the FCT Minister said the country was already dead under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, but that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rescued it from economic and institutional collapse.
He said:
“Tinubu took over an economy that was totally gone. Everything had collapsed, and Nigeria was about to be buried.”
Wike added that two years is not enough to solve Nigeria’s deep-rooted economic challenges.
Responding to the claim that the new coalition, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), will take over power from the President in 2027, Wike said:
“Tinubu is not Jonathan. The odds were against him in 2023, but he still won.”
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