Wike: Amaechi descended too low by politicising mother’s death

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for linking his mother’s death to the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Wike accused Amaechi of using his late mother’s death for political purposes, describing his comments as an unfortunate attempt to gain public sympathy ahead of the 2027 general election.

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

Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor and vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had said the rising cost of medicines under the Tinubu administration made it difficult for his family to care for his mother before her death.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Amaechi said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu assumed office but subsequently struggled to obtain the medicines she needed.

“Because policies are killing people. I’ve lost my mother. Before Tinubu, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, by the time Tinubu came, it was difficult to buy drugs for my mother,” he said.

However, Wike faulted the former governor for bringing his mother’s death into political debates, particularly his suggestion that she would be happy if the ADC won the 2027 presidential election.

“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.