How Amaechi re-ignited his war with Wike
President Muhammadu Buhari and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the Dan Amanar of Daura.
After several months of what looked like a truce between Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, a new warfront has opened.
This time, the fireworks which may escalate in the weeks to come has been instigated by comments credited to Amaechi, following the burial of late Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas at the weekend.
Amaechi, had on Saturday accused Governor Wike of failing to accord Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas a befitting state burial.
Late Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas. His death sparks off a confrontation between Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Wike.
Why the former Governor who has lost most of his followers across the State to the PDP in recent times chose to turn Alabo’s burial into a political fighting ground remains a mystery.
Some observers however say that the one who cancelled the contract for the construction of the Trans Kalabari Road awarded to a company that was linked to the late Alabo while he was a serving Governor may have planned to score cheap political points.
Governor, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday reacted strongly to Amaechi’s scathing remark with a warning.
Speaking at the commissioning of a seven-storey structure named after Senator John Azuta Mbata in Port Harcourt, Wike warned the former Minister of Transportation of the dire consequences of making unbridled remarks.
Wike said Amaechi had lost the moral right to comment on matters relating to affairs of Rivers State.
Governor Nyesom Wike dares Rotimi Amaechi.
Accusing him of bringing nothing home while he served as Minister in the last seven years, the Rivers Governor said in his reaction that while serving as Minister under the Jonathan government, he was instrumental to the establishment of two Polytechnics in the State.
He asked Amaechi to point at what he brought home as a functionary who served as prominent member of the Buhari administration.
He explained that the politicization of the burial of the late traditional led to his decision to stay away.
APC, PDP party flags..symbols of the struggle for power in Rivers State. Saying it is better to honour people while they are alive, Wike said that his administration constructed roads leading to the residence and palace of the traditional ruler when he was alive.
He also revealed that he gave the traditional stool of the late Chief a first class status in respect of his attainments and contributions to the growth of the State.
The incumbent Governor described the former Minister of Transportation and Dan Amanar of Daura as a “total failure”.
“I hear he can’t even enter the Villa now. All those periods you intimidated police people, and army people are over.
Amaechi, Wike… Another season of fights across the political aisle.
“You used to tell them, ‘The President is angry with you’. Now, go and tell them,” Wike mocked Amaechi.
“This should be the last time that you will talk about this state because you are a total failure as far as this State is concerned”, Wike warned.
He noted, “Even what is supposed to come to us, you blocked it, but we didn’t bother.”
Wike said that Amaechi thought that his tenure would not “finish as a minister”, succinctly reminding him, “you have left.”
He alleged that if he is forced to open up on what he knows about the former Governor, members of his immediate family and those who are purportedly hanging around would allegedly abandon him.
“Don’t distract us again or else I will say more things,” Wike is quoted as telling the former minister.