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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has threatened to resign from his post, alleging massive corruption linked to his predecessor and political rival, Rotimi Amaechi. In a no-holds-barred interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Wike accused Amaechi’s wife of embezzling N4 billion earmarked for training Niger Delta women.
The explosive claims come amid escalating political tensions between the two former governors of Rivers State, both of whom have long been embroiled in a fierce and personal rivalry. Wike fired back at Amaechi’s recent assertions of seniority and entitlement to respect based on political longevity and age, saying respect must be earned through integrity—not chronology. “You should be respected because of the integrity you have and the honour you have, not because you are 200 years old,” Wike said sharply. “He cannot claim to be older than me just because he was governor before me.” Recounting his own political roots, Wike clarified that he held elected office before Amaechi rose to political prominence.
“I never knew Rotimi from Adam. In 1998, I contested and won one of Nigeria’s most respected local governments, Obiakpor. Long before I met him,” Wike asserted. The minister escalated his attack by dragging Amaechi’s wife into the fray, challenging her public image and accusing her of benefiting from a multi-billion naira fraud involving the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). “When did your wife become an industrialist? Which company does she own?” he asked rhetorically. “Selling does not make you an industrialist.” Wike said it was regrettable to bring up Amaechi’s wife but insisted her alleged role in financial misdeeds could not be ignored. “I don’t think Amaechi loves his wife. If he did, he wouldn’t throw her into public controversies like this,” he said.
Wike then made a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to release the long-suppressed forensic audit report of the NDDC, which he claims contains damning evidence against the Amaechi’s. “I ask Mr President to release the forensic audit of the NDDC, to make Amaechi’s wife explain how she spent N4 billion on training Niger Delta women,” Wike said. “That report was buried by Malami. Every month, four billion naira was allegedly siphoned under the guise of training women. That’s how she became an industrialist.”
The allegations, if proven true, could reignite calls for sweeping anti-corruption reforms and reexamination of the NDDC’s spending under past administrations. As the war of words intensifies, political observers say the long-standing feud between Wike and Amaechi may now have far-reaching implications beyond Rivers State and into national politics. Neither Amaechi nor his wife has publicly responded to the latest claims as of the time of filing this report.
