By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has disclosed why he will never join the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and immediate successor, Nyesom Wike, and other politicans to insult his predecessor, Dr. Peter Odili, despite their current political differences.played pivotal role in his personal and political life.
The former Rivers helmsman made this claim while speaking in an interview on Thursday.
Amaechi was asked to identify the individual who had touched his life the most apart from his late father.
Without hesitation, he named Odili, under whom he served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Dr. (Peter) Odili was one. In my growing up, he had a huge role to play,” Amaechi said. “That is why no matter what they do to me, I won’t talk about Dr. Odili and I will never insult him. Never! Never!”
Amaechi recounted how Odili supported him not only politically but also during deeply personal moments, including the burial of his father — a responsibility Amaechi said he could not afford at the time.
“He had a huge influence in my life. He contributed quite a lot. He even helped me bury my dad when my father died. I had no money to bury my father. So, I find it difficult,” Amaechi recalled.
Despite political differences and shifting alliances over the years, Amaechi maintained that his respect for Odili remains unshaken.
“Sometimes, you are tempted to put some records straight. Sometimes, you are tempted to confront him, but always have at the back of your mind that he was an instrument that God used to push you up,” he added.
Odili, who served as governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007, was succeeded briefly by Celestine Omehia.
However, a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court later nullified Omehia’s tenure and recognized Amaechi as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ushering him into office in 2007.
Recall that in heat of the rift between Fubara and Wike, the FCT minister hurled a slew of invectives at Odili for supporting the recently suspended Rivers governor.
Wike called the elder stateman many unprintable names like “rent-seeker”, “ingrate”, “syncophant” etc.
The minister launched the attack during a Special Thanksgiving Service organised by Martin Amaewhule, the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Port Harcourt.
The name-calling was his reaction to Odili’s previous comments where the former governor accused Wike of attempting to convert Rivers into his private estate.
