Wike queries Amaechi’s influence in Nigeria’s political space, gives reason

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has said that Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transport lacks political influence.

Speaking during his monthly media chat with select journalists said several politicians are being overrated.

Naming Amaechi as one of the overrated politicians, Wike said he (Amaechi) has no influence despite being a two-term governor of Rivers State and a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We overrate people, what’s his influence? He was governor in 2015 and he couldn’t produce a successor. He couldn’t give his candidate, Muhammadu Buhari common 25 percent.

“He was a sitting Minister in 2019, no president has ever moved with soldiers the way he moved with soldiers. He said he produced a governor, he couldn’t even produce a candidate. Again, his candidate Buhari didn’t make 25 percent, and he was the DG of the campaign,” Wike said.

Speaking further, Wike said that Amaechi, despite being a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) supported Atiku Abubakar, a PDP candidate for the 2023 presidency and he had nothing to show for it.

“Again, in 2023, he came, okay this time around, I am going to support Atiku in PDP, thank God we did not support PDP, if we had supported PDP and they won, he would have taken the glory. We said, okay, we would not support PDP, they failed.

“They didn’t even get 10 percent, so what, he is influential? How?” the Minister queried.

Wike added that he is eager for the planned coalition championed by Atiku, former governor Nasir El-Rufai, Amaechi and other key political bigwigs becomes a reality ahead of the 2027 polls.

“Look, I thank God he is in a coalition, I want that coalition to form as a team, let them start from home to start removing the president. If you say you will remove, you’ll start from your home to remove him,” he said.