Wike-Amaechi rivalry rekindled, blasts Transport Minister

Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi at the weekend got a bashing from his erstwhile strong political ally and Governor of Rivers State Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, at the convocation of Pamo University in Port Harcourt.

Wike accused Amaechi of sending his name to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as a minister representing the state while he was governor and also worked tirelessly to ensure he was not confirmed.

Former Head of state, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who is the Chancellor of the university, was honored with a Doctorate of Letters while Wike got honorary doctorate degree.

The Pamo medical University is owned by a one-time governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili.

Persecondnews.com recalls that the duo has been having a frosty relationship just before 2015. Both Amaechi and Wike were under the political tutelage and grooming of former Governor Peter Odili.

Just few years before Amaechi’s exit from power as governor, Amaechi and Wike got locked up in fierce political battle over who calls the shot in the politics of the state. However, Wike’s political profile got a boost when Jonathan appointed him as minister.

Wike had won the governorship election under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) amid contestation at the tribunal by Amaechi’s APC.

The rivalry and battle for supremacy came alive recently when Amaechi stirred the hornet’s nest, saying Wike was afraid of his “rising political profile’’.

Amaechi, a founding member of APC, had also played active role during the presidential campaign of Buhari as the Director-General of the campaign organization.

At the occasion, the governor said education was vital to the growth of the country, stressing that as Minister of Education he strived to improve the educational systems and as governor, he had laid a solid foundation for the education of Rivers students.

Wike, who said without education he would not be where he is today, explained that this formed the reason why his government had expended billions of naira on education.

Highlight of the ceremony is the giving out of cash reward of N5 million each to best graduating students in each department and a scholarship abroad for the overall best student. He also donated the sum of N500 million to Pamo University.

Pamo University of Medical Sciences was granted provisional license by the Federal Government on December 17, 2017 and commenced academic activities on April 8, 2018 as a specialized premier private medical university. The university secured its full operating licence from the federal government on April 7, 2020.