I’d Rather Be Childless Than Have a Son Like Amaechi – Wike

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has said he would prefer to have no children rather than to have a son like Rotimi Amaechi, in response to the former transportation minister’s claim that his mother died because of President Bola Tinubu’s policies.

Wike on Saturday described Amaechi’s remarks as an embarrassment and an attempt to drag the late woman into politics.

Wike spoke during a visit to the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council at Ekpeye House in Ahoada, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

He said Amaechi, who served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007, governor from 2007 to 2015 and Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023, could not reasonably claim he was unable to afford medication for his mother.

“Your mother was sick, and you are telling the whole world that because of the policy of Tinubu, you couldn’t buy drugs for your mother, and so your mother died,” Wike said.

He referenced Amaechi’s properties, asking listeners to “look at the house you are living in, Old GRA. Look at the house you have in Abuja,” and added that such a claim constituted “enough of this embarrassment.

Wike also stated he would rather remain childless than have a child make similar statements.

“Instead of me to have such a child, may I be childless. Anybody here, any parent, if that is the kind of child you have, tell God, let me not have any child,” Wike said.

Wike also questioned why Amaechi, who is the 2027 African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, did not seek help from those around him, noting that Amaechi had described his wife as an industrialist.

“Yet, your industrialist couldn’t give you money to buy drugs for your mother?” he asked.

May God not give us children that will use our sickness and death to play politics and catch cruise on national television

~ Wike mocks Amaechi pic.twitter.com/lH39qnj5Ml

— Lere Olayinka – Aresa 1 (@OlayinkaLere) October 3, 2026

He also pointed to the attendance of prominent figures at the burial, saying many arrived in private jets to honour a woman for whom, according to Amaechi’s claim, drugs could not be purchased.

Amaechi made the original comments on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu took office in May 2023 but that rising medicine costs under the administration made it difficult to obtain the drugs she needed.

“The policies Tinubu introduced are killing people. I lost my mother because of the policies… President Tinubu’s policies killed my mother,” Amaechi stated.

He added that he “did the best I could in taking care of my mother.”

Dame Mary Amaechi died on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89 and was buried in September.

Wike also criticised the use of the late mother in political messaging, referring to a previous statement by Amaechi that his mother would have been happy if the ADC won the election.

“How can you bring a loved one, who is old, to play politics? It’s really unfortunate. People can stoop so low to use their mother to play politics,” Wike said.