EXTRA: I’ve never sponsored thugs — I don’t want to miss heaven, says Amaechi

Former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, says he has never sponsored thugs as a politician.

Amaechi served as governor of Rivers state from 2007 to 2015 before becoming the minister of transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2022.

In an interview with ABN TV, he revealed that his priest had cautioned him against encouraging political violence, adding that such actions would jeopardise his chances of entering heaven.

“Let me quote former President Jonathan, he said, no life is worth my ambition. You will not see me in any political meeting planning for thugs, you will not see me say this money is for thugs; I will not,” Amaechi said.

“My Priest tells me that anybody who dies in the course of that money, you will be held accountable.

“The society may not hold you accountable or send you to prison because you are a big man — but God will not allow you into heaven because he will hold you accountable. I don’t want to miss heaven.

“That’s why I teach my children, my wife can testify, I teach it at home, we would like to go to heaven.

“When they say I am stubborn it’s not correct; I’m only disciplined. Let one person, including my former boss, say that I betrayed him before, and you will see if it is true or not when I say my own story.”

Amaechi’s comments come amid ongoing tensions between Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over control of the state’s political structure.

The crisis had intensified following recent local government elections, where violent incidents involving hoodlums occurred at three local government secretariats — Emohua, Eleme, and Ikwerre.

During the interview, Amaechi described Rivers state as the “capital of betrayal”, alleging that many politicians in the state owe their careers to his mentorship.

He emphasised that his two core principles for mentoring young politicians are honesty and dedication to serving the public interest.

“Name one politician in Port Harcourt that is in the space that didn’t pass through me,” he said.

“Sim (Fubara) was an accountant under me, he was an accountant under Wike. When I became governor, Wike became Chief of Staff but, I don’t like calling his name; unfortunately, I don’t know why I’m calling his name.

“Just name any Rivers politician that didn’t pass through me — only people you can mention are the likes of Prince Uche Secondus; we were contemporaries, maybe Senator Lee.”

Amaechi attributed the current political climate to a lack of character among politicians.

“It’s not about mentorship; it’s about hunger. A lot of them are hungry and could not manage the situation,” he said, reflecting on his early political experiences.

“I joined politics at the age of 22 and there were two camps: Rufus George camp, very poor and broke; we hardly had food to eat and Abule’s camp which was very rich and everybody was rushing to him, he had a bank.

“But those of us who bothered about character, because my father taught me character, stood with Rufus without knowing if we would win or not. And at the end of the day, God delivered us and we became government. He became governor and I became Special Assistant.

“The crop of politicians then are different from what we have now — I am not interested in politics… I will discuss politics at the right time.”