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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday launched a blistering personal attack on former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a lunatic and a known armed robber who lacks the moral standing to seek Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Wike spoke in Abuja after a meeting with the chairmen of the six Area Council of the FCT, where the ongoing strike by teachers in the territory was discussed. He was reacting to reported comments credited to Amaechi in which the former minister described supporters of President Bola Tinubu as thieves and mad people.
“A lunatic cannot preside over the affairs of this country. A known armed robber cannot,” Wike said. “He said those who want to vote for Tinubu are thieves. So, I am a thief? That is what he is saying.” The FCT minister said Amaechi’s remarks were an insult to voters and warned that the former governor would face stiff political resistance if he attempted to campaign in Rivers State while continuing to disparage supporters of the president.
“If he continues along this line, it will be difficult for him to campaign in Rivers State. We will make it difficult for him,” Wike said. “You cannot sit down, call voters madmen and thieves, and expect to walk away free.”
Wike challenged Amaechi’s moral authority to label others criminals, and turned the corruption question back on the former governor’s eight-year tenure in Rivers State between 2007 and 2015. He reeled out a list of expenditure scandals he said Amaechi has yet to account for. He noted that Amaechi as a governor was fond of carrying young girls and buying houses for them with public funds.
He alleged that $39 million was paid for the Justice Karibi-Whyte Hospital, a project he claimed was never constructed. He also questioned a $10 million fumigation contract awarded to a Cuban firm to combat mosquitoes, describing the expenditure as wasteful. On infrastructure, Wike criticised the N68 billion Port Harcourt monorail project, which he said was abandoned during Amaechi’s tenure. He further alleged that $308 million realised from the sale of state-owned gas turbines had been misappropriated.
The FCT minister maintained that the allegations raised questions about Amaechi’s credibility in making corruption allegations against other political figures. He also alleged that Amaechi had been indicted by a judicial panel of inquiry and that his appeal against the indictment had been dismissed by the Supreme Court. Wike criticised the media and the Independent National Electoral Commission over what he described as their failure to challenge inflammatory political statements ahead of the 2027 general elections. He called on journalists to scrutinise Amaechi’s record as governor, particularly public expenditure and the execution of major infrastructure projects during his administration.
“If some issues are raised against me now, or against the president, you will trend it every second in your media houses,” Wike told the journalists present. “Now you will throw this up because it is coming from your position. You will not do that duty.”
Source: …Secretsreporters