The long-standing political hostility between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has officially flared up once again, plunging Rivers State back into the trenches as the countdown to the 2027 general elections gathers intense momentum.
The latest chapter of the fierce rivalry exploded during a high-profile civic reception held in Wike’s honor at Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area. Addressing a cheering crowd of supporters, a fired-up Wike did not mince words, declaring that the political camp led by Amaechi—who is linked to the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—would suffer a crushing defeat by midday on election day. Wike leveraged Amaechi’s own historical political definitions of “brotherhood” to argue that President Bola Tinubu has proven to be a truer ally to Rivers State than the former governor, pointing to federal appointments and infrastructural milestones.
The remarks drew an immediate and furious backlash from the Rivers State chapter of the ADC. In a strongly worded statement issued by its state chairman, Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa, the party accused Wike of cross-border political insensitivity, noting that the timing of the rally coincided with Amaechi laying his late mother, Dame Ezinne Amaechi, to rest in Ubima.
“Elections are not won by boasts, intimidation, or political strongmen announcing results in advance. Rivers people will vote, the votes will be counted, and INEC, not Wike, will declare the winner,” the ADC fired back.
The opposition party slammed the FCT minister’s comments as “political rascality taken too far,” urging the electorate to resist political bullying. With Wike locking horns with his estranged predecessor and opposition parties drawing lines in the sand, the stage is set for a bruising, high-stakes political battle for the soul of Rivers State.
