Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi over his claim that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies contributed to the death of his mother.
Wike accused Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, of bringing his late mother into political arguments and questioned his explanation that rising medicine costs under the Tinubu administration made it difficult to afford her medication.
Wike made the remarks on Saturday while addressing members of the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council at Ekpeye House in Ahoada, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Amaechi’s Claim About His Mother
Amaechi had made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, October 2.
The former Rivers State governor said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu became president but alleged that the rising cost of medicines after 2023 made it increasingly difficult for him to provide the drugs she needed.
“Tinubu’s policies killed my mother. Before Tinubu came, my mother was healthy. After 2023, it was difficult for me to buy drugs for my mother,” Amaechi said, according to reports of the interview.
Amaechi used his personal experience to criticise the wider economic consequences of the Federal Government’s reforms, particularly the rising cost of healthcare and medicines.
However, his statement is an allegation about the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death and does not, by itself, establish a medical or causal connection between government policies and her death.
Amaechi’s mother, Mary Amaechi, died in July 2026 at the age of 89 and was buried in September in Ubima, Rivers State.
Wike Questions Amaechi’s Explanation
Reacting to Amaechi’s remarks, Wike questioned how the former governor and minister could have been unable to obtain medication for his mother, given his years in senior public office and the financial circumstances Wike referenced.
Wike noted that Amaechi served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007, governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023.
The FCT minister questioned why Amaechi could not obtain assistance from members of his family or associates if the cost of his mother’s medication had become difficult to meet.
Wike also referred to Amaechi’s comments about associates who attended his mother’s burial, arguing that they could have provided assistance while she was alive.
Wike Accuses Amaechi of Politicising the Death
Wike also criticised Amaechi over comments concerning his late mother and the 2027 elections.
According to Wike, Amaechi had said in a video that his mother would have been happy if the ADC won the election.
The FCT minister argued that deceased family members should not be brought into political disputes and urged people to allow Amaechi’s mother to rest.
“It is unfortunate people can descend so low to use their mother to play politics,” Wike said, while also praying that Amaechi’s mother would have peace.
Long-Running Wike-Amaechi Political Rivalry
The latest exchange is part of a long-running political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, both of whom previously served as governors of Rivers State.
Their political differences have increasingly extended beyond Rivers State politics to national issues, particularly the economic policies of the Tinubu administration and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Amaechi is now the ADC vice-presidential candidate alongside presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. His recent public statements have focused heavily on the economic reforms introduced under Tinubu, including their impact on fuel prices, household finances and the cost of medicines.
Wike, meanwhile, remains a member of President Tinubu’s administration as FCT minister.
Earlier this week, Wike also criticised Amaechi over his record in public office, pointing to his combined 24 years as Rivers State assembly speaker, governor and federal minister. National Accord reported that Wike challenged Amaechi to identify major projects or political empowerment he had brought to his community and Rivers State during those years.
The Wider Debate Over Nigeria’s Economic Reforms
Amaechi’s comments have placed the rising cost of medicines within the broader political debate over Nigeria’s economic reforms.
The Tinubu administration introduced major changes after taking office in May 2023, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and reforms to the foreign-exchange system. Supporters of the reforms have argued that they were necessary to address longstanding structural problems in the Nigerian economy, while critics have pointed to increased living costs and pressure on household purchasing power.
Amaechi has argued that the consequences of the reforms are being felt directly by families struggling to afford basic necessities, including healthcare.
The debate therefore extends beyond the personal disagreement between the two former Rivers governors. It also reflects a broader political argument over whether the economic reforms have sufficiently improved living conditions and how the costs of adjustment should be assessed.
What Happens Next
The dispute is likely to remain part of the political conversation as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
For now, Amaechi’s statement about his mother’s death remains his personal account and political criticism of the Tinubu administration, while Wike has rejected the argument and challenged Amaechi’s explanation.
Neither Wike’s response nor Amaechi’s allegation independently establishes the medical cause of Mary Amaechi’s death.
The immediate political issue is therefore the continuing disagreement over the impact of Tinubu’s economic policies, with both men presenting sharply different interpretations of the reforms and their consequences for Nigerians.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- Punch — reporting Wike’s response to Amaechi’s comments and his remarks in Ahoada, Rivers State.
- Premium Times — reporting Amaechi’s October 2 interview and his claims concerning medicine costs and his mother’s death.
- Vanguard — reporting Amaechi’s comments on the rising cost of medicines and his criticism of Tinubu’s policies.
- National Accord — reporting Wike’s wider criticism of Amaechi’s record in public office.
