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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has launched a fresh attack on former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of dragging the memory of his late mother, Madam Mary Amaechi, into the 2027 political contest.

Wike, who spoke on Saturday at a town hall meeting with the Ezugbani Ekpeye, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ekpeye people, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, said Amaechi’s claim that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies made it difficult for him to afford his mother’s medication was an attempt to turn a family tragedy into a political weapon.

Amaechi had, during a television interview on Friday, attributed his mother’s death to the economic hardship which, according to him, made it increasingly difficult to afford her drugs.

The minister argued that Amaechi’s claim would not generate sympathy for him at the poll, insisting that the former governor could not rely on his mother’s death to secure political support.

“You think that people will have pity for you. Nobody will have pity for you because people know you are telling lies,” he said.

Wike also used the occasion to attack Amaechi’s record as governor, accusing him of spending huge sums on projects that, according to him, were either abandoned or failed to materialise.

He specifically questioned the status of the proposed Justice Karibi-Whyte 1,000-bed hospital and the Rivers State monorail.

On the hospital, Wike said: “He said he was going to build a 1,000-bed hospital, and he was going to name it Justice Karibi-Whyte Hospital. He paid out 39million US dollars.

“What happened to the Karibi-Whyte Hospital where he paid 39million dollars? Let him go and show them the foundation. If there is a foundation, let him go free.”

He similarly challenged Amaechi over the monorail project, alleging that huge public funds were expended on it without a corresponding completed project.

“Today, where is the monorail? He spent 68billion dollars. All of you who are here, ask him the question: where is the monorail today?” Wike said.

The minister also accused Amaechi, while serving as Minister of Transportation, of cancelling contracts involving former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chairman of the South-South Development Commission, Chief Chibudom Nwuche.

“When our brother was the Minister of Transportation, that’s why I said we want you to grow, but let it not be the growth that brings others down,” Wike said.

He urged the Ekpeye people to support President Tinubu and candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in the 2027 elections, citing Tinubu’s appointment of Nwuche as chairman of the South-South Development Commission as evidence of the administration’s inclusion of the people of the area.

Earlier, President-General of Uzogbani Ekpeye, Dr Alabo Ihuowo, thanked Wike for supporting indigenes of the area for political appointments under the Tinubu administration.

Ihuowo also recalled projects executed in the area during Wike’s tenure as governor, including roads, schools and hospitals.