The political rivalry between former Rivers State Governors Nyesom Wike and Rotimi Amaechi continues following renewed claims and counter-reactions over the conduct of elections in the state.
During a recent interview with Channels Television, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s long-standing accusations that he was responsible for manipulating electoral outcomes in Rivers State.
He noted that the former Minister of Transportation has consistently accused him of interference in different election cycles, dating back to 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan was President, through the Muhammadu Buhari administration, and even in the 2023 general elections.
Wike, now serving as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, maintained that Amaechi’s claims have become a recurring excuse each time his political interests fail at the polls. He pointed to the losses suffered by candidates aligned with Amaechi in both the governorship and presidential contests of 2023 as further evidence of the former governor’s declining influence in the state.
The ongoing war of words appear to point to the deep political divisions that continue to shape Rivers politics. Wike and Amaechi, both powerful figures with a history of dominating the political stage in the oil-rich state, have been locked in a fierce rivalry for years.
Analysts believe that their constant clashes are not only personal but also linked to the struggle for control of the political machinery that drives elections in Rivers.
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‘I Rigged You in Jonathan’s Government, I Still Rigged You in Buhari’s Time’ – Wike to Amaechi
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