By Our Correspondent
Nigerians have been having their takes on the grand reception of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday in Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State which coincided with the burial of the mother of the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in Ubima, Ikwerre Local.
Amaechi held the burial of his mother, Dame Ezinne Mary Orduah Amaechi, while Wike came for a reception by his political group, the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike at the reception took several aims at Amaechi who was a former Transportation Minister.
The FCT Minister cited Amaechi’s role in the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election and what he termed the marginalization of Rivers State by the former Transportation Minister in the allocation of projects while in office.
He said: “In 2014, Amaechi defined who a brother is. Other speakers didn’t want to call his name. Well, I have the capacity to call his name all the time.
“Amaechi defined a brother as one who identifies with us in terms of problems. He said brotherhood is not blood relation. So, we are going to copy that definition for the 2027 presidential election.
“When Jonathan was the President, it was then our brother defined the meaning of brotherhood. He said Jonathan never cared for us and therefore Jonathan could not become our brother. Who was then our brother?
“Amaechi said Jonathan never cared for us and that Buhari was our brother because he would identify with us. If that’s the case, he now wants to run for Vice President.
“We want to ask: what happened all that time you were the Minister of Transport? Did he relate with us? Did he think about our problem? Did he bring anything here?”
However, several Nigerians have described the civic reception as politics taken too far by the FCT minister.
Mr. AI AkyalaI, a public health expert, decried the minister’s action and wrote, “I had expected Mr. Nyesom Wike to attend the burial ceremony of Rotimi Amaechi’s mother yesterday.
“Beyond political differences and old rivalries, I believe moments like this present an opportunity to remind Nigerians that brotherhood should be bigger than politics.
“Politics will come and go, but relationships, humanity and respect should endure. Attending the burial would have sent a powerful message that, despite our disagreements, we can still rise above politics to honour one another in moments of grief.
“Nigeria needs more of this spirit—where political differences do not completely erase our bonds as fellow citizens and brothers. Sometimes, the greatest political statement is simply choosing humanity over rivalry.”
Also, Mr. Peter Iorter, founder, Safe Media Initiative, stated that Wike’s action was “politics taken too far.”
According to Iorter, “This man (Amaechi) is your brother; you’re from the same state, and both of you belong to the league of former ministers and former governors of the state. In fact, he once served as your boss.
“Whatever political differences exist, there should still be a line that even politics cannot cross. His mother died, and you chose not to attend the burial. Painful, but one could still say, na politics. But you didn’t stop there.
“On the very day this man was burying his mother, you organised a political event. And as if that was not enough, at the same event, the bereaved became the subject of discussion, not with sympathy or restraint, but with mockery, ridicule and all manner of disparaging remarks.
“Come on! Even in Nigerian politics, where “everything is fair” has almost become a political philosophy, there are certain lines decent people should not cross.
“You can disagree with a man politically without losing your sense of humanity. You can oppose his politics without mocking his grief.
“Politics is politics. Death is death. And respect for the dead, especially someone who is your brother, colleague and former boss, should be bigger than any political differences.
“There must still be a limit to this thing we call politics.”
On his part, film maker and media owner, Mr. Fidelis Duker berated southern politicians for the “shameful conduct. He said that, “Like or hate it, Northern politicians are AHEAD, at burial of El-Rufai’s mum, Ribadu was in front…South always a shameful bunch.”
Prince Daniel Aboki agreed with Duker, stressing that, “Like it or not, there is something to learn from northern politicians. Regardless of political differences and rivalries, they will come together at moments like this.
“Also, northern politicians don’t gather the press every Eke market day to rant, trade insults and attack one another. They may disagree fiercely politically, but there are still lines they rarely cross and moments when politics is put aside.”
