Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has described former Governor Chibuike Amaechi as his brother, but revealed that Amaechi did not seek his counsel before defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Wike, who previously served as Chief of Staff under Amaechi during his tenure as Rivers State governor, expressed that he would have advised Amaechi against joining the ADC.
Amaechi, a former Minister of Transport, was among prominent Nigerians who joined the ADC and vied for the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 elections. However, he lost the primary to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who emerged as the ADC flagbearer. Amaechi initially rejected the primary results, citing widespread irregularities and malpractice, but has remained silent after Atiku visited him at his Abuja residence.
Speaking during a media chat on Monday, Wike said, “Amaechi is my brother. I served under his administration. If he had called me before joining the ADC, I would have told him, ‘don’t go there.’ The party was Atiku’s setup, one hundred percent. When I saw David Mark as the national chairman, I laughed. You can’t set a trap for me. My brother made a mistake; he was in too much of a hurry, carried away by people praising the government.”
Wike, who is often seen as a political adversary of Amaechi, insisted that Amaechi could have avoided the embarrassment of contesting against Atiku if he had consulted him. He claimed that the ADC primaries were biased and lacked transparency, with David Mark ensuring Atiku’s victory. “It was very clear. No transparency or due process. When you’ve worked with people, you know who’s who and who would do what,” Wike added.
Despite their political differences, Wike asserted that he holds no ill will toward Amaechi and would have helped him navigate the political landscape. The FCT Minister’s remarks highlight the deep rift between the two former allies, who are considered one of the most bitter political rivalries in the current dispensation.