The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his recent remarks about hunger in Nigeria.
During a media parley on Monday in Abuja, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s claim of being “hungry,” suggesting instead that the former Rivers State governor is driven by an insatiable desire for power—not food.
Amaechi, speaking at his 60th birthday event last week, lamented the country’s economic situation, stating, “We’re all hungry, all of us are. If you’re not hungry, I am. For us in the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power, we can remove him. In Nigeria, there are no capitalist ideas among politicians; it’s about sharing.”
In a fiery response, Wike said, “We don’t have time to entertain such nonsense in Nigeria. How can a man like Amaechi stand on his 60th birthday and tell Nigerians he’s hungry? From 1999 to 2023, he was constantly in power—Speaker, Governor, Minister—and never once raised this issue. Now that he’s out of office, he suddenly discovers hunger? No, he’s just hungry for power.”
Wike accused Amaechi of political opportunism, alleging that his renewed criticism is part of a broader plan to stage a comeback.
“They’re regrouping. He’s aligned with Atiku again and crying hunger. This is someone who couldn’t even secure 25% of the vote in his own state for Buhari, despite serving as the campaign DG. And now he’s talking about removing a sitting president. Remove him how—by military coup? That language is dangerous and undemocratic.”
Wike also emphasized his value to the current administration, saying, “I am not a liability. I am an asset. Whether you like me or not, I am instrumental in ensuring President Tinubu wins a second term.”
Both Wike and Amaechi are political heavyweights from Rivers State. Amaechi served two terms as governor from 2007 to 2015, following his tenure as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007. He also chaired the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and served as Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023.