Wike Brands Amaechi a Thief and Lunatic After “Only Madmen Vote Tinubu” Remark
Abuja, Nigeria—October 9, 2026—Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike on Friday launched a fierce verbal assault on former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi, branding him a “thief” and “lunatic” after Amaechi declared that only thieves and mad people would vote for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The exchange has escalated political tensions as both men, long-time rivals from Rivers State, dig in for the coming general elections.
Amaechi’s Provocative Edo Remark
Speaking at an ADC town hall meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on Thursday, Amaechi urged residents to reject Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He told the audience, “They are going about saying ‘Vote Tinubu! Vote Tinubu!’ Only thieves can vote for Tinubu. In fact, I read a comment on social media where someone said, ‘It’s in 2027 that we will know how many mad men we have in Nigeria… because it’s only a mad man that can vote for Tinubu. If Edo people vote for Tinubu, that means Edo people are mad.”
The comments quickly went viral and drew sharp reactions across the political spectrum.
Wike’s Fierce Response in Abuja
Wike responded on Friday after a closed-door meeting with chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils. Visibly angry, the minister said the remarks amounted to an insult against millions of Nigerians who support the President, including himself.
“A lunatic cannot preside over the affairs of this country! A known armed robber cannot!” Wike declared. “He said those who want to vote for Tinubu are thieves.
So, I’m a thief? That’s what he’s saying. But who can be a bigger thief than Amaechi? Ask him who has been his psychiatric doctor.”
The FCT Minister went further, questioning Amaechi’s record as Rivers State governor between 2007 and 2015.
He challenged the former minister to account for several high-profile projects and transactions, including an alleged $39 million cassava flour mill, a $10 million mosquito fumigation contract awarded to a Cuban company, a ₦68 billion monorail project, and the sale of state gas turbines for $308 million.
Wike also claimed Amaechi was indicted by a Judicial Panel of Inquiry and lost his appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
Warning Over Rivers Campaign
Wike issued a direct warning that Amaechi’s rhetoric could make it difficult for him to campaign freely in Rivers State.
“If he continues along this line, it will be difficult for him to campaign in Rivers State. We will make it difficult for him. You cannot sit down, call voters madmen and thieves, and expect to walk away free,” he said.
He also criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and sections of the media for what he described as silence in the face of inflammatory campaign statements, urging the electoral body to sanction politicians who resort to personal attacks rather than issue-based campaigns.
Growing Political Rivalry
The latest clash underscores the deep personal and political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, two of the most influential figures from Rivers State.
Wike, a strong backer of President Tinubu’s re-election, has repeatedly positioned himself as a key defender of the administration, while Amaechi has emerged as a prominent opposition voice under the ADC platform alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
As the 2027 election cycle intensifies, observers note that such heated exchanges risk raising the political temperature and shifting focus away from policy debates toward personal confrontations.
Neither Amaechi nor the ADC had issued an official response to Wike’s latest remarks as of press time.
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