…Accuses ex-Rivers governor of looting state treasury, challenges him over alleged $39m project
…Threatens to frustrate Amaechi’s campaign in Rivers over alleged attacks on Tinubu supporters
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a blistering attack on former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a “bloody thief” and a “lunatic” while declaring that politicians like him would not become Nigeria’s president or vice president.
Wike fired the salvo on Friday in Abuja during a meeting with chairmen of the six FCT area councils, where he accused Amaechi of allegedly insulting Nigerians who voted for President Bola Tinubu and challenged him to explain several projects and financial transactions said to have occurred during his tenure as Rivers governor.
The FCT minister also threatened to make political mobilisation difficult for Amaechi in Rivers State if he continued making the alleged derogatory remarks against Tinubu and his supporters.
The confrontation followed reports that Amaechi had described people who voted for Tinubu as thieves and mentally unstable during political engagements in Edo State.
Wike condemned the reported comments, insisting that politicians seeking public office should campaign on their records, policies and programmes rather than attack citizens for exercising their democratic rights.
He also challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address what he described as inflammatory political statements by aspirants seeking national leadership.
“This is supposedly a vice-presidential candidate of a political party seeking to take over power and preside over the affairs of this country,” Wike said.
Questioning Amaechi’s suitability for national leadership, the minister asked why a politician aspiring to govern Nigeria would allegedly insult citizens because of their political choices.
Wike, who supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, said he regarded the reported comments as an insult to himself and other Nigerians who voted for the President.
“Who can be a bigger thief than Amaechi?” he asked, challenging the former governor to account for projects and expenditures during his administration.
The minister subsequently raised questions about an alleged $39 million cassava-waste processing project, a reported $10 million mosquito-fumigation exercise, a ₦68 billion monorail project and the reported sale of a state-owned gas turbine valued at $308 million.
He questioned the outcomes of the projects and demanded explanations about how public funds were spent.
According to Wike, the cassava-waste processing project failed to deliver the expected results, while he also questioned the effectiveness of the mosquito-fumigation exercise and the fate of the monorail project.
He further demanded clarification on the reported gas turbine sale, insisting that Nigerians deserved answers about the transactions.
The FCT minister accused the media of failing to scrutinise Amaechi’s record in office adequately, arguing that similar allegations against other political figures would attract widespread attention.
He also referred to a judicial panel of inquiry that reportedly indicted the former governor, urging journalists to examine its findings and the legal proceedings that followed.
However, Wike did not present documentary evidence at the meeting to substantiate the allegations concerning the projects and financial transactions. The claims were not independently verified in the account of the meeting, and Amaechi’s response was not available at the time of filing this report.
The minister, who served as chief of staff during Amaechi’s administration before succeeding him as Rivers governor, said his knowledge of the state’s affairs informed his criticism of his predecessor.
Wike warned that Amaechi could face resistance from his supporters in Rivers if he persisted with the alleged attacks on Tinubu’s supporters.
“If he continues in this line, it will be difficult for him to campaign in Rivers,” he warned.
He added that his supporters would not accept what he described as insults against the President and Nigerians who voted for him.
Wike called on INEC and relevant security agencies to take the matter seriously, although he did not specify the formal action he expected them to take against Amaechi.
The minister also faulted Amaechi’s reported comments on the importance of the seaport at Onne, arguing that infrastructure should be assessed based on its economic value and contribution to national development.
He maintained that opposition politicians should present credible alternatives to the policies of the Tinubu administration rather than resort to personal attacks.
The exchange comes amid intensifying political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 general elections, as political leaders trade accusations over governance, public spending and the conduct of campaigns.
