Name one election you’ve won since I ditched you, Wike dares Amaechi
By Omeiza Ajayi
The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has challenged his predecessor in Rivers State, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, to identify a single election victory he has achieved in the state since their split in 2011.
“Since I left him in 2011, mention one election that he has ever won in Rivers State,” Wike said during an interactive meeting in Ahoada, located in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. The gathering included members of the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council and stakeholders from the Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas.
Wike’s remarks were prompted by comments made by Amaechi on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where the former Minister of Transportation criticized the Federal Government’s performance in project delivery and challenged it to enumerate significant completed projects.
In response, Wike suggested that Amaechi’s supporters review his electoral history. He also demanded accountability for $39 million allocated for the Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, a project that remained unfinished, and questioned the budget of N68 billion for the monorail project initiated during Amaechi’s governorship.
A judicial commission established under Wike previously investigated the payment made to a contractor for the hospital project and its subsequent failure to come to fruition. Additionally, Wike sought clarification on the status of the monorail, one of the major infrastructure initiatives associated with Amaechi’s administration.
Wike dismissed a $10 million malaria control project involving Cuba as ineffective, stating, “Ask him whether mosquitoes have stopped biting us in Rivers State.”
The minister emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the records of politicians seeking higher office, pointing out that Amaechi held several prominent positions: eight years as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, eight years as governor, and eight years as a minister—totaling 24 years in leadership roles. Wike questioned what tangible benefits Amaechi had brought to Ekpeye Land during that time, claiming, “Not one single thing!”
He urged constituents in Ahoada East and West to demand proof of any projects and political empowerment that Amaechi purportedly facilitated while in office. Wike articulated that effective leadership should be evaluated not only by tenure in office but by actual achievements, including projects completed and communities empowered.
In addition, Wike critiqued the appropriation of personal tragedies for political gain, asserting that political disputes should not exploit private grief, particularly surrounding familial losses.
He reflected on his former relationship with Amaechi, noting their disagreements over appointments and business interests related to federal maritime agencies. Wike contrasted Amaechi’s record with the current administration’s initiatives to foster regional development and strategic appointments within the South-South region.
