A former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he won’t stoop low to exchange insults with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Wike had mocked the former Rivers State governor, claiming Amaechi was not hungry for food, as claimed in his 60th birthday speech, but rather for power.

Wike said, “We have no time to listen to nonsense in Nigeria. I don’t understand why a man like Amaechi would choose his 60th birthday to lie to Nigerians about being hungry.

“He was Speaker from 1999 to 2007, Governor from 2007 to 2015, and Minister from 2015 to 2023. He never spoke about hunger during those years.

“Now they are regrouping. They are only hungry for power. This shows his failure. How can you trivialise the issue of hunger? He joined Atiku and claimed hunger. He cannot stay out of power. From 1999 to 2023, Amaechi stood before Nigerians and claimed hunger. He was a former governor who couldn’t secure even 25% for Buhari during elections, despite being the campaign DG.”

In reply, Amaechi told Arise Television on Tuesday that Wike was once his chief of staff and therefore politically subordinate.

“I was once his boss, whether he likes it or not. I hired him. I could have said no. God, Peter Odili, the judiciary, and the people of Rivers State made me governor. I say this because I don’t want to engage in childish disputes.”