Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ally of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of misrepresenting his past and engaging in character self-aggrandizement.
The criticism follows Wike’s recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he claimed to have come from a privileged background, asserting that he drove his own car to school. He also alleged that Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of his former mentor, received N4 million monthly to fund women’s training programs in Rivers State, and pledged to resign if a forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) failed to implicate her.
In a strongly worded statement released over the weekend, Eze dismissed Wike’s claims as fabrications intended to distance himself from his humble beginnings and former allies. “Wike’s attempt to rewrite history and disown his background is not only false but shameful,” Eze said. “His father, if alive, would be disappointed by this level of dishonesty. It is public knowledge that a friend’s father paid Wike’s school fees, and he was once an errand boy to Amaechi.”
Eze further alleged that Wike’s portrayal of affluence contradicts the reality of his upbringing. He accused the FCT Minister of turning his back on those who supported him during his political rise, particularly during his time under Amaechi’s mentorship, which saw Wike ascend from Local Government Chairman to Chief of Staff and later Minister under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The APC chieftain also raised concerns about the judicial impartiality of Wike’s wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Wike. “Sleeping daily in the same bed with a character like Wike raises serious concerns about the neutrality expected of a judge,” Eze stated, sparking further debate on ethics and personal affiliations within the judiciary.
He went on to criticize Wike’s tenure as Governor of Rivers State, claiming it was marked by the dismantling of key developmental programs initiated by Amaechi. These included educational reforms and agricultural projects aimed at boosting the state’s economy and human capital.
“Wike’s biggest legacy remains the systematic destruction of Amaechi’s developmental strides in Rivers State,” Eze asserted.
The accusations have reignited public discourse on the enduring political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi—two dominant forces in Rivers State politics. As of the time of filing this report, neither Wike nor his media aides had issued a response.
The unfolding tensions are likely to have broader implications for the APC’s internal dynamics, particularly in Rivers State, ahead of future elections.
