The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday, censured former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi over his hunger comment.

At a media parley in the nation’s capital Abuja, Wike said Amaechi can’t stay out of power and his hunger comment was an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

Wike said with over two unbroken decades in various top public offices, Amaechi can’t claim that he is hungry for food.

Wike and Amaechi are both political gladiators in oil-rich Rivers State in Nigeria’s riverine Niger Delta area. The two share a history of being former governors.

Wike said, “I don’t know why a man would choose his 60th birthday to tell lies. It’s unfortunate. Of all times, on your 60th birthday when people are celebrating you?

“He was (Rivers State) Speaker from 1999 to 2007. He was the most pampered speaker. He became a governor from 2007 to 2015. Eight years as Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, and eight years as governor, he never talked about hunger.

“He became a minister from 2015 to 2023, eight years as a super minister of transport. When he was borrowing money (for projects), he didn’t talk about hunger.”