FCT minister challenges ADC candidate’s claim linking his mother’s death to Tinubu’s economic policies
PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi over his claim that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies contributed to the death of his mother.
Wike challenged Amaechi’s account while speaking during a visit to the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council at Ekpeye House in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Amaechi had made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the effects of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system.
Amaechi Links Death To Rising Drug Costs
Amaechi said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023 but that the rising cost of medicines subsequently made it increasingly difficult for him to provide the drugs she required.
He said he did everything he could to care for her but argued that the economic situation contributed to the difficulties his family faced in obtaining medication. His remarks have been reported by multiple Nigerian news outlets.
Amaechi has used the personal experience to criticise the wider impact of economic policies on Nigerian households, particularly the cost of healthcare.
However, the statement is Amaechi’s account of his family’s experience and does not independently establish a medical cause of his mother’s death.
Wike Questions Amaechi’s Account
Wike rejected the argument and questioned how Amaechi, given his previous political positions and access to influential people, could have been unable to obtain the medication his mother needed.
He referred to Amaechi’s career as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation.
Wike also questioned why Amaechi did not seek assistance from relatives, friends or political associates if the cost of his mother’s treatment had become unaffordable.
The FCT minister further referred to the presence of prominent political figures at Amaechi’s mother’s burial, arguing that assistance could have been sought while she was still alive.
Wike Accuses Amaechi Of Politicising Death
Wike also criticised Amaechi for bringing his late mother into the political debate ahead of the 2027 general election.
He referred to Amaechi’s reported comments that his mother would have been happy if the ADC won the election and questioned the appropriateness of connecting her memory to the political contest.
Wike accused his former political associate of using his mother’s death in political arguments, while Amaechi has presented the experience as an illustration of the difficulties Nigerians face under the current economic environment.
The exchange adds another layer to the long-running political disagreement between the two Rivers-born politicians.
Economic Reforms At Centre Of Dispute
The disagreement comes amid continuing debate over the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration.
The president announced the removal of the petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office in May 2023. The reform contributed to a substantial increase in petrol prices and transportation costs, while the government has maintained that removing the subsidy was necessary to reduce pressure on public finances and redirect resources toward other areas.
The administration has also introduced measures such as cash-transfer programmes and compressed natural gas initiatives, which it says are intended to cushion vulnerable households from the effects of the reforms.
Amaechi has argued that Nigerians should be able to see tangible benefits from the savings associated with subsidy removal and has repeatedly criticised the rising cost of living and healthcare.
Political Dispute Intensifies
Amaechi is running as Atiku Abubakar’s vice-presidential candidate under the ADC for the 2027 election, while Wike remains a member of President Tinubu’s administration as FCT minister.
Their latest exchange comes as political parties and politicians intensify preparations for the 2027 contest.
Amaechi’s allegation about his mother has therefore become part of the broader political argument over the effects of the government’s economic policies. Wike has rejected the connection and challenged Amaechi’s explanation.
Amaechi’s mother, Mary Amaechi, died in July 2026 at the age of 89. President Tinubu was among the political figures who expressed condolences following her death.
The dispute over her death highlights the increasingly personal nature of political exchanges as the 2027 election approaches, with both sides presenting sharply different accounts of the effects of Nigeria’s economic reforms.
