As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the long-standing political rivalry between former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his successor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reignited, setting the stage for a major political showdown.
Amaechi, a prominent figure in the opposition coalition working to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recently made headlines during a public lecture in Abuja titled *Weaponization of Poverty*, held in honour of his 60th birthday. Speaking candidly, Amaechi declared, “We are all hungry. All of us are. If you are not hungry, I am. So, for us the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power Tinubu, we can remove him from this power.”
Amaechi’s remarks underscored growing discontent within the opposition and highlighted his role in mobilising forces against the current administration. However, the comments drew a sharp reaction from Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party but has publicly declared his loyalty to President Tinubu and vowed to lead his re-election campaign.
Wike, speaking at his monthly media briefing, dismissed Amaechi’s statement, asserting that the former minister is not truly hungry but “hungry for power.” He said, “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 trivialise the issue of hunger? He joined Atiku and claimed hunger. It is clear he cannot stay out of power. From 1999 to 2023, Amaechi stood before Nigerians and claimed hunger.”
Wike also referenced Amaechi’s 2017 declaration: “Is my honesty in doubt? I have told Nigerians and I repeat to Nigerians today I am not corrupt and I don’t like money. I am not one swayed by money. I have lived a character that most Nigerians can tell you.”
In a swift response, Amaechi appeared on Arise TV and fired back, branding Wike as immature. “I wanted him as chief of staff so I could supervise him. Adoke flew all the way from Abuja to Port Harcourt that Wike asked me to make him the Commissioner for Finance and I said no, he has to work under me so that I can supervise him.
“I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children. You know, he made himself chief of staff. He made himself governor. He made himself a minister. He made himself local government chairman.”
The rift between both politicians traces back to 2012 during Amaechi’s tenure as governor of Rivers State. Though Amaechi reportedly played a pivotal role in Wike’s rise—appointing him as a local council boss, chief of staff, and nominating him for a ministerial position—Wike later emerged as a formidable force in Rivers politics. He stood by Amaechi during a political crisis that led to the Supreme Court reinstating him as governor.
Despite their shared political roots in the Ikwerre area of Rivers State—Amaechi hailing from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Council and Wike from Rumueprikon in Obio Akpor Local Council—their relationship has continued to deteriorate.
The ongoing spat also attracted comments from notable figures. Former presidential spokesman and Arise TV anchor, Reuben Abati, criticised Wike, saying, “I think that Nyesom Wike is very rude and disrespectful because Rotimi Amaechi is his boss in politics. When he was a local government chairman or was a councillor during Amaechi’s second term, it was Rotimi Amaechi that helped him to become local government chairman.”
In response, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, challenged the notion of Amaechi being Wike’s political superior. “So how is Rotimi Amaechi Wike’s boss in politics? When Amaechi was a House of Assembly member, Wike was a Local Government Chairman. When Amaechi ran to Ghana in 2007, Wike was in Nigeria, leading the charge to retrieve Amaechi’s mandate.”
Olayinka also took aim at Abati, accusing him of abandoning journalistic ethics: “Today, Reuben Abati, who works in ARISE NEWS is the one defending him Amaechi. Is he Amaechi’s spokesperson? Trained journalists working in Media Organizations don’t do that. They leave people to defend themselves.”
On the potential for reconciliation, activist lawyer Maduabuchi Idam suggested that the desire for resource control could reunite the two rivals. “Amaechi and Wike have no real personal issues or issues based on principles and ideology, except the struggle for dominance and resource control. It’s all about who controls the resources of Rivers State and nothing else.”
As political alignments continue to shift, PUO Reports will closely monitor how the Amaechi-Wike rivalry influences national politics and the road to 2027.