Wike accuses Amaechi of using mother’s death for political purposes

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi of “descending so low” by bringing his late mother into political arguments.

Wike spoke on Saturday during a visit to the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council at Ekpeye House in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

He was reacting to Amaechi’s claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday: the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration contributed to his mother’s death by making it difficult for his family to afford her medication.

Wike criticised Amaechi for bringing his mother into political arguments, saying the deceased should be “resting peacefully.”

“Anybody who watched television last night would cry when somebody is bringing his own mother to play politics. Your mother that we thought should be resting peacefully,” Wike said.

“In one of the videos, he said if ADC wins election, his mother would be very happy,” Wike said.

“So, the only condition is that your mother will not be happy if ADC does not win. Too bad! She will not be happy. But ADC will not win. How can you bring a loved one who just died to bring in politics?”

Wike also questioned Amaechi’s claim that he could not afford his mother’s medication, citing his former positions as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor and minister.

“This was a speaker for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. This was a governor for eight years, from 2007 to 2015,” he said.

“This was a minister for eight years, from 2015 to 2023, and your mother was sick, and you are telling the whole world, and because of the policy of Tinubu, you couldn’t buy drugs for your mother, and so your mother died.”

The FCT minister further questioned why Amaechi did not seek financial assistance from friends and associates if he could not afford the medication.

“You have told the world that your wife is an industrialist, yet an industrialist couldn’t give you money to buy drugs for your mother,” Wike said.

“Look at who-is-who who came with all private jets to bury a woman whom you could not buy drugs for because you were taking care of other people. You didn’t tell them, ‘My mother was sick, can you help me? Give me money; let me buy drugs.’”

Wike described Amaechi’s comments as an attempt to use his mother’s death for political purposes.

“People can descend so low to use their mother to play politics,” he said.

He also questioned Amaechi’s claim that he could not afford his mother’s drugs, referring to properties he said the former governor owns in Old GRA, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

“Look at the house you are living in in Old GRA, look at the house you are living in in Abuja, and then you say you are unable to buy drugs, and that was why your mother died. Enough is enough of this kind of embarrassment,” Wike said.