The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his recent statement claiming, “We’re all hungry.”
Wike, speaking on Monday during a media parley in Abuja, dismissed Amaechi’s remark as political theatre, stating that the former governor of Rivers State is “hungry for power, not food.”
“We have no time to listen to nonsense in Nigeria,” Wike said. “Why would a man like Amaechi choose his 60th birthday to lie to Nigerians about being hungry?”
Amaechi made his controversial comment at an event marking his 60th birthday, where he criticized the state of Nigeria’s economy and stated that even the political class is feeling the economic strain.
However, Wike pointed to Amaechi’s long political career, which includes stints as Speaker (1999–2007), Governor (2007–2015), and Minister (2015–2023), questioning why he never addressed hunger during his time in office.
“He never talked about hunger while in power. Now that he’s out, he suddenly discovers Nigerians are hungry,” Wike said. “They are regrouping. It’s about power, not people.”
Wike also criticized Amaechi’s political credibility, recalling his failure to deliver electoral support in key contests, despite holding major campaign positions.
“He couldn’t even secure 25% for Buhari in Rivers State when he was Campaign DG. Now he’s talking about removing the president—how? Through a coup? This is dangerous talk.”
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State himself, emphasized his loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and the current administration, describing himself as an “asset, not a liability.”
The exchange marks another chapter in the long-running political rivalry between the two prominent Rivers State politicians, both of whom have held significant national roles in recent Nigerian administrations.
