Wike’s aide fires back at Abati for saying FCT Minister is rude to Rotimi Amaechi
Wike’s aide fires back at Abati for saying FCT Minister is rude to Rotimi Amaechi
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized veteran journalist and former presidential spokesman Reuben Abati for describing Wike as “very rude” and “disrespectful” to former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Olayinka’s response came shortly after Abati, now an anchor on Arise Television, condemned Wike’s recent remarks where the FCT Minister accused Amaechi of being power-hungry and failing to deliver even 10 percent of the vote for Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.
In his commentary, Abati stated: “Wike is very rude and disrespectful because Amaechi is his boss in politics. It was Amaechi who supported him to become a local government chairman, made him Chief of Staff, and later facilitated his appointment as Minister of State for Education.”
Reacting via a Facebook post on Tuesday, Olayinka challenged the narrative that Amaechi was Wike’s political superior, questioning how and when such a hierarchy was established.
He reminded critics that during the turbulent political period of 2007, it was Wike—not Amaechi—who remained in Rivers State to fight for Amaechi’s mandate when the latter had fled to Ghana.
According to Olayinka: “I listened to Egbon @abati1990 on Arise News this morning, saying the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, is very rude and disrespectful because Rotimi Amaechi is his boss in politics.
“If we talk now, they will say we don’t respect elders. The same Reuben Abati, who was comfortable being on campaign podium as running mate to a fugitive who was wanted in America, will be forming Moral Police inside Arise TV studio.
“Reuben Abati, a POLITICIAN who has a clear political affiliation, will be forming objectivity, just like @ruffydfire, a supporter of Labour Party.
“So how is Rotimi Amaechi Wike’s boss in politics? When Amaechi was a House of Assembly member, Wike was a Local Government Chairman.
“When Amaechi ran to Ghana in 2007, Wike was in Nigeria, leading the charge to retrieve Amaechi’s mandate. But I will still not talk.”
