The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over his recent remarks concerning the state of the nation’s economy.

During a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike dismissed Amaechi’s statement that he was “hungry,” insisting that the former Rivers State governor was merely expressing a desire to return to power, not lamenting economic hardship.

Amaechi, who turned 60 last week, had made headlines with his comments at a birthday event, where he said, “We’re all hungry, all of us are. If you’re not hungry, I am. For us in the opposition, if you want us to remove the man in power, we can remove him.”

He also criticized the political class for lacking ideological direction, stating that politics in Nigeria is “about sharing.”

In response, Wike questioned Amaechi’s credibility, citing his long tenure in public office. “He was Speaker from 1999 to 2007, Governor from 2007 to 2015, and Minister from 2015 to 2023. At no point during those years did he talk about hunger,” Wike said.

“Now, suddenly, at 60, he says he’s hungry. They are regrouping—not because they care about Nigerians—but because they are desperate for power. Hunger for power, not food, is their real problem,” he added.

The FCT Minister also accused Amaechi of political inconsistency and failure, pointing out that despite being the Director-General of President Buhari’s campaign, he failed to deliver significant support in his home state.

“He couldn’t even secure 25% of the votes for Buhari in Rivers State,” Wike said. “Now he’s talking about removing the President. What does he mean—through democratic means or something else? Nigerians remember 2015 and must not be misled again.”

Wike further reiterated his support for President Bola Tinubu, describing himself as an “asset” to the current administration. “You may not like me, but I am not a liability. I am an asset, especially in ensuring President Tinubu secures a second term,” he said.

Both Amaechi and Wike have a long history in Rivers State politics, having served as governors of the state. Amaechi led from 2007 to 2015 before joining President Buhari’s cabinet, while Wike succeeded him and served until 2023, after which he was appointed to the FCT ministerial role by President Tinubu.

Amaechi also previously served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007 and was the pioneer chairman of Nigeria’s Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies.