‘I Don’t Engage In Childish Insults,’ Amaechi Hits Back At Wike

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said he will not lower himself by trading insults with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, following a recent verbal attack.

Amaechi’s comments came in response to Wike’s mockery of his 60th birthday speech, in which Amaechi spoke about hunger in Nigeria. Wike dismissed Amaechi’s remarks, claiming his real hunger was for political power, not food.

Wike stated, “We have no time to listen to nonsense in Nigeria. I don’t understand why a man like Amaechi would choose his 60th birthday to lie to Nigerians about being hungry.

“He was Speaker from 1999 to 2007, Governor from 2007 to 2015, and Minister from 2015 to 2023. He never spoke about hunger during those years.

“Now they are regrouping. They are only hungry for power. This shows his failure. How can you trivialize the issue of hunger? He joined Atiku and claimed hunger. He cannot stay out of power. From 1999 to 2023, Amaechi stood before Nigerians and claimed hunger. He was a former governor who couldn’t secure even 25% for Buhari during elections, despite being the campaign DG.”

In response, Amaechi told Arise Television on Tuesday that Wike was once his subordinate in government and that he would not engage in what he called “childish disputes.”

“I was once his boss, whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no. God, Peter Odili, the judiciary, and the people of Rivers State made me governor. I say this because I don’t want to engage in childish disputes,” Amaechi said.

The long-standing feud between the two former governors of Rivers State has reignited public debate, with Wike previously insisting he played a decisive role in Amaechi’s political rise.

In 2021, Wike had claimed, “I was the one God used to make Amaechi governor. I even have a tape from church where he said that after God, I’m next. But he went on national television to say that I was his staff, his employee. It wasn’t funny, but I said, No problem.

“We all sat to make him governor, and I championed it. How do you call someone who made you governor an employee?

“Even after he became governor, he sought my advice on running his government and offered me the commissioner of finance, but I rejected it because I wanted to remain chief of staff.”

Amaechi has denied Wike’s version of events, reiterating that Wike was his chief of staff and that he was not offered the finance commissioner position.

“Ask him how he made me governor. I wanted him as chief of staff so I could supervise him. I didn’t offer him commissioner for finance. He made himself chief of staff, governor, minister, and local government chairman,” he said.

He also took a swipe at Wike’s political approach and public rhetoric, suggesting it lacked maturity and respect for personal reputation.

“There is no longer respect for family names. People say and do anything,” Amaechi said.