Wike Dismisses Amaechi’s Influence, Says He Lacks Political Clout to Unseat Tinubu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has strongly dismissed suggestions that former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, holds enough political weight to help the opposition coalition remove President Bola Tinubu from office.

Wike made the remarks on Monday during his monthly press briefing in Abuja, responding to Amaechi’s critical comments about the Tinubu administration at his recent 60th birthday celebration.

According to Wike, Amaechi’s political relevance is overstated, asserting that the former Minister of Transportation has failed to demonstrate any meaningful electoral influence, even within his home state.

“I don’t understand how someone would use his 60th birthday as a platform to spread falsehoods,” Wike said. “He talks about being in a coalition because of hunger and zoning power—it’s just an admission of his own failure.”

Wike questioned Amaechi’s credibility and past political performance, recalling that despite holding significant positions between 1999 and 2023, including Minister of Transportation and campaign Director-General, Amaechi could not deliver key electoral outcomes.

“He couldn’t help Buhari secure 25% of the vote in Rivers State in 2015, even as governor,” Wike stated. “In 2019, as a serving minister, he still couldn’t achieve it, despite moving around with military escort like no other minister before him.”

The FCT Minister also criticized Amaechi for downplaying the economic challenges Nigerians face, calling it “an insult” for someone who has held power for decades to speak of hunger as if he was not part of the system that contributed to it.

“Here’s a man who publicly claimed he doesn’t like money, yet was caught on video with dollars. Nigerians are not fools,” Wike added.

He further ridiculed Amaechi’s claim of political king-making, saying, “He says he produced a governor, yet couldn’t produce a presidential candidate. He supported PDP in 2023, and the party barely got 10%—what influence is that?”

Wike concluded by urging the opposition to get its house in order before talking about removing President Tinubu.

“Let the so-called coalition start by winning in their own backyards,” he said.

Amaechi is currently aligned with an opposition coalition reportedly strategizing to challenge President Tinubu’s reelection bid in 2027.