Wike challenges Amaechi over $10 million fumigation project, calls for scrutiny

…defends Tinubu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to account for a $10 million fumigation project allegedly undertaken during his administration, insisting that politicians seeking public office must be prepared to answer questions about their records.

Wike made the remarks during a media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, amid an escalating political dispute between the two former allies.

Wike questioned the outcome of the project, which reportedly involved a Cuban company engaged to fumigate Rivers State against mosquitoes and malaria. He asked Amaechi to explain the impact of the exercise, arguing that the expenditure deserved public scrutiny. “You told Rivers people that you’re going to fumigate the state so they won’t be suffering from malaria, and you paid 10 million dollars to a company in Cuba. Could you tell Nigerians what is the effect of that fumigation?” he said.

The minister maintained that his criticism was not driven by personal animosity but by the need to examine the records of politicians seeking higher office. He argued that Amaechi, who is associated with the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), should expect questions about decisions taken during his eight-year tenure as Rivers governor.

Wike also revisited questions surrounding the reported $39.2 million expenditure on the Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital project in Rivers State. He has previously challenged Amaechi to explain why the project was not completed despite the reported payment to a contractor. The minister also questioned the fate of the state’s monorail project, reportedly valued at ₦68 billion, and the sale of gas turbine power stations for $308 million.

On the 2027 presidential election, Wike mocked Amaechi’s reported assessment of the opposition’s prospects following a town hall meeting in Cross River State. He claimed that fewer than 200 people attended the gathering and questioned the basis for predicting the election’s outcome from regional considerations.

The FCT minister also defended Tinubu’s performance, arguing that political rivalry should not prevent Nigerians from acknowledging what he considers the administration’s achievements. “Whether anybody likes it or not, Mr. President has done well,” Wike said. He accused opposition politicians of allowing their ambition to return to power to influence their assessment of the federal government’s policies and record.

Wike’s comments come against the background of his deteriorating relationship with Amaechi, under whom he served as chief of staff when Amaechi was Rivers governor. The two men, once political allies, have become prominent adversaries, with their recent exchanges focusing on their respective records in public office and their positions ahead of the 2027 elections.