POORT HARCOUURT/Nigeria: Former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has once again demonstrated his enduring popularity among Rivers people, following a triumphant walk through major streets of Port Harcourt on July 23, 2025, accompanied by a crowd of supporters drawn from across the state.
Reacting to the show of solidarity, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct nPDP, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said the massive turnout reaffirmed Amaechi’s continued acceptance and credibility among the people, despite leaving office as governor over a decade ago.
In a statement issued to the media, Chief Eze described the warm reception as a testament to Amaechi’s legacy of transformative governance, which, according to him, brought multi-sectoral achievements and elevated Rivers State to national prominence. He argued that such street-level acceptance remains a rare attribute among Nigerian politicians.
“Amaechi, overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, reaffirmed that coalition leaders will fully support whoever emerges as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections,” Eze disclosed.
Contrasting Amaechi’s reception with that of the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Eze claimed that Wike would face hostility if he attempted a similar outing in Rivers State. He accused the FCT Minister of mismanaging public resources during his tenure as governor, cancelling people-oriented programs, and impoverishing the citizenry.
Eze further criticized Wike for dismantling Amaechi’s agricultural and educational initiatives, including a scholarship scheme he said would have placed Rivers among the most educationally advanced states in Nigeria. He added that Wike’s alleged greed and policies had diminished the state’s reputation and worsened the plight of its people under the current administration.
He maintained that the display of “street credibility” by Amaechi was a signal of Rivers people’s determination to reclaim their state from what he described as “undemocratic forces” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
