Amaechi Spent 24 Years In Power Without Empowering Rivers—Wike

The long-running political rivalry between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has resurfaced, with Wike challenging his predecessor to account for what he brought to Evo Kingdom and Rivers State after 24 years in top public offices.

“Nothing! Not one single thing!” Wike declared on Friday, challenging leaders and stakeholders of Evo Kingdom to identify what Amaechi attracted to the kingdom or Rivers State during his years as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor and Minister of Transportation.

Wike spoke during an interactive session with stakeholders of Evo Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he questioned the development and political legacy of his former principal.

Amaechi served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007, governed the state from 2007 to 2015 and served as Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023.

But Amaechi had previously offered a sharply different account of his record in Rivers.

In a June 2025 interview with Arise News, the former governor said his administration built six flyovers, primary schools and secondary schools, while also developing a new city with 24-hour power supply.

“People building flyovers here are making noise. I built six flyovers, and I didn’t make noise. I didn’t call the president to come and commission them,” Amaechi said.

He also said his administration built primary schools and secondary schools which, according to him, were designed to provide improved learning facilities, adding that an agency from India was engaged to manage the schools and provide science teachers.

Amaechi further listed projects he said were completed or initiated during his tenure as governor, including a mother-and-child hospital, an orthopaedic hospital and a sports village. He alleged that some of the projects had subsequently been abandoned or vandalised.

The dispute over the former governor’s infrastructure record is not new.

In November 2022, Wike, then governor of Rivers State, accused Amaechi of failing to deliver roads and flyovers, while claiming that his administration had even constructed the road leading to Amaechi’s residence in Obio-Akpor.

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress subsequently defended Amaechi, listing the Agip, Eliozu, Obiri Ikwerre, Eleme and Woji flyovers among projects it attributed to his administration.

Wike’s latest criticism, however, goes beyond infrastructure.

The FCT minister accused political leaders of using their positions to monopolise power rather than create opportunities for others to rise, arguing that the value of leadership should also be measured by the people and political structures left behind.

“Because how will I answer before God if these people could take that kind of risk, and opportunity came up for you to help, for you to uplift them? But because of your greed, because of your selfishness, you don’t want anybody to reach the level you are,” Wike said.

He added, “You don’t want anybody in Obio-Akpor to be governor again because you have become governor. God will not be happy with me.”

Wike then returned to Amaechi’s 24 years in public office, challenging his supporters to identify what he said were tangible projects or political empowerment attracted to Evo Kingdom during that period.

“Someone was Speaker of the House of Assembly for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years that is 24 years in top leadership positions! What can anybody point to that he attracted to Evo Kingdom or Rivers State in all those 24 years? Nothing! Not one single thing!” he said.

Wike contrasted Amaechi’s record with his own brief stint as Minister of State for Education, saying he could identify projects he facilitated for Rivers State.

“I was a Minister of State for Education, and as I sit here, I can count the projects I brought to Rivers State and my people. But somebody was Speaker, Governor, and headed a very lucrative ministry as a full Minister for eight years, yet brought nothing back home! How can someone who spent 24 years in power without empowering his people or raising new leaders now turn around to tell you he loves you?” Wike queried.

The minister also pointed to his own political trajectory, saying he had no desire to return to offices he had previously occupied.

“After all, what do I want that God has not given to me? Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! The only thing I ask from God today is to continue to give me long life,” he said.

“I can’t be a governor again. I’ve been a minister two times. I cannot be chairman of council again. So I am happy. I don’t have anything to lose.”

Wike said leaders should instead focus on building successors and institutions capable of sustaining development after they leave office.

“What leadership, as you are leaving, what’s the leadership you have kept behind to continue with where you have stopped? Because our problem here is that you just want only yourself. When you die, everything crumbles. That is not our case,” he said.