Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has chided a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, over his comment that he (Wike) does not respect him.
Wike, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, said respect is earned through integrity and honour rather than age.
Amaechi had berated the minister, saying that he did not know why Wike disrespected him.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the former transport minister had said, “Let the Minister of the FCT come, let’s take a walk from the airport to Port Harcourt, no police, no army, nothing, just the two of us.
“I don’t know why he doesn’t respect people like us; I am older. I brought him up in politics. Who is he?”
However, the FCT minister said, “I think it’s very unfortunate. First of all, you should be respected by the integrity you have. You should be respected by the honour you have.
“You shouldn’t be respected because you are 200 years old. First of all, he can’t claim to be my senior. It was unfair for him for him to make that kind of comment.
“The mere fact that he was a governor before me, there is no law that says, ‘If I am senior to you, I’ll be a governor before you.
“To God be the glory. He gives power to whom he wants to give power at the right time. It is for you to use what God has given to you to enhance the upliftment of mankind.”
He also faulted the impression given by Amaechi that he was not corrupt, adding that anyone who claimed not to like money “is a big liar”.
According to him, Amaechi was deceiving Nigerians by claiming not to be a rich man, having served as a speaker for eight years, a governor for eight years, and a minister for eight years.
“But when a man comes in public to say, ‘I don’t like money,’ you know that man is a big liar because he needs money to solve this problem, to solve his problem.
“Amaechi was Speaker, eight years; Amaechi was a governor, eight years; Amaechi was a minister, eight years. Nigerians should know the kind of characters deceiving Nigerians every day, pretending,” he said.
Amaechi served as the governor of Rivers State for eight years before he was succeeded by Wike in 2015.
Before he became a governor, Wike served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi, who governed Rivers from 2007 to 2015.
They, however, fell apart over the political control of the state before the 2015 governorship election.
Amaechi is one of the arrowheads of the recently formed coalition movement in the African Democratic Congress.
Other members of the coalition are a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; and a former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola.
