By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed why he made the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, his Chief of Staff during his reign as Governor of Rivers State.
Amaechi said he made Wike his Chief of Staff to be able to supervise him.
The former Rivers helmsman spoke on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Tuesday evening.
Amaechi maintained that Wike wanted to be commissioner for finance but he refused.
According to Amaechi: “I wanted him (Wike) as chief of staff so I could supervise him.
He said, “Mohammed Adoke flew all the way from Abuja to Port Harcourt. That week he asked me to make him commissioner for finance and I said no, he has to work under me. I want him as chief of staff so I can supervise him.
“I didn’t offer him commissioner for finance. You see, I’m saying this because I don’t want to join issues with children. I was once his boss. Whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no.”
He added, “You know, he made himself chief of staff. He made himself governor. He made himself minister. He made himself local government chairman.”
Amaechi also took a jab at Wike’s political conduct, saying, “There’s no more respect for family names. People just do and say anything.”
The former minister, however, admitted that he owes his rise to the highest political seat in Rivers State to God, his predecessor in office, Dr. Peter Odili, the judiciary and the people of the state.
“By the grace of God and by the grace of Peter Odili, the people of Rivers State and the judiciary, I became Governor because at the end of the day, the judiciary pronounced me governor.”, Amaech said.
Recall that Amaechi became the governor of Rivers in 2007 after a protracted legal tussle with Celestine Omehia.
In 2007, Omehia was elected to succeed Odili as the governor of Rivers on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, Rotimi Amaechi approached the court to seek Omehia’s disqualification.
Amaechi cited irregularities in the primary election that produced Omehia as the PDP governorship candidate.
Subsequently, the court declared Amaechi as the duly elected candidate of the PDP and was sworn in as the governor of Rivers state.
