Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike of attempting to distract attention from the burial of the mother of former governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Chief Eze said the alleged attempt failed after what he described as the overwhelming turnout of Rivers residents and political leaders at the burial of Dame Mary Oduah Amaechi in Ubima.

His comments were contained in a statement issued on Friday, 4 September 2026, following the burial.

What Eze said happened

According to Chief Eze, a separate political gathering was scheduled in Ikwerre Local Government Area on the same day and around the same time as Mama Amaechi’s burial.

He alleged that the timing was intended to create a competing event and reduce attendance at the burial.

“If the intention was, as widely alleged, to distract Rivers people or frustrate the attendance of mourners at Ubima, then the plot has failed woefully.”

Eze praised Rivers residents for what he called their “maturity, wisdom and respect for the sanctity” of the burial.

He also accused Wike of pursuing what he described as divisive politics in the state.

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Political leaders attend Amaechi family burial

Eze said the burial attracted political figures from different parts of Nigeria and across political divides.

Among those he mentioned were former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former Senate President David Mark, ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

He also commended former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, whom he identified as the ADC presidential candidate, for attending the occasion.

Other politicians listed in the statement included former Edo State governor Oserheimen Osunbor, former Edo State governor and former APC national chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, former PDP national chairman Uche Secondus, former senator Ben Murray-Bruce and former Rivers governor Celestine Omehia.

Chief Eze also mentioned former Rivers deputy governor Tele Ikuru among the dignitaries who attended.

Eze calls for politics to be put aside

The ADC chieftain said the presence of politicians from different backgrounds demonstrated what he described as the importance of setting political differences aside during moments of bereavement.

He also thanked Amina Titi Atiku Abubakar for attending the burial and expressing solidarity with the Amaechi family.

Eze said the reception given to political figures by the Rivers ADC leadership, led by the party’s governorship candidate Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson, showed what he described as the growing acceptance of the ADC in the state.

He concluded by urging Rivers residents to reject what he called “the politics of bitterness, division and vindictiveness”.

Wike and Amaechi’s long-running political rivalry

The statement comes against the background of a long-running political rivalry involving Wike and Amaechi, two prominent figures in Rivers politics.

Wike served as Rivers State governor from 2015 to 2023, succeeding Amaechi, who governed the state between 2007 and 2015.

Their political differences have remained a major feature of Rivers State politics, with their respective supporters frequently trading accusations over the direction of the state.

The latest comments by Eze add another layer to that rivalry as political parties and their supporters position themselves ahead of future elections.

A day centred on mourning

Eze said the attendance at Mama Amaechi’s burial demonstrated that Rivers residents were more interested in honouring the deceased than in political disagreements.

He described the gathering as a demonstration of “dignity”, “compassion” and “unity”.

He also expressed condolences to Rotimi Amaechi, his wife Judith, the wider Amaechi family and the people of Ubima.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has challenged Nyesom Wike’s claim that he remains in control of the political structure in Rivers State, describing it as a sign of political disconnect from reality.

Eze’s comments came a day after Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State governor, declared that he remained in charge of the state’s political structure ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on 2 September, Wike described himself as the “General Commander of the Political Infantry” and said political influence did not depend on occupying the office of governor.

“You do not need to be governor before you can be in charge. I am the General Commander of the Political Infantry; therefore, I am in charge. So also in FCT. I owe the President to give these two,” Wike said.

He was referring to his stated intention to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory during the 2027 election.

Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the now-defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), said Wike’s declaration would ultimately be tested by voters rather than political claims.

“It is delusional for Wike to imagine that, after the humiliation suffered by Rivers State under the circumstances surrounding the declaration of the State of Emergency, he can still present himself as the unquestionable political commander of the State. Rivers State was turned into a laughing stock before the nation, and those responsible cannot now rewrite history and pretend that nothing happened.”

Rivers political crisis remains central

The dispute over political control comes against the background of the prolonged conflict between Wike and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.

President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on 18 March 2025 and suspended Fubara, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly for six months.

Tinubu said the decision followed a prolonged political crisis that had paralysed governance in the state. He also cited attacks on oil infrastructure and the inability of the executive and legislature to work together.

The emergency ended in September 2025, with Tinubu saying the intervention had been necessary after attempts to resolve the political crisis failed.

The crisis had also centred on competing political loyalties and control of the state’s political machinery, making Wike’s latest declaration particularly significant as parties begin positioning themselves for 2027.

Eze attacks Wike over Atiku and Amaechi

Eze also criticised Wike’s repeated attacks on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Atiku is expected to be a major figure in the emerging opposition coalition around the ADC, while Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite serving in Tinubu’s administration.

“Wike’s constant attacks on Atiku and Amaechi are becoming increasingly childish and politically revealing. A politician who is genuinely confident of his political structure does not spend every available opportunity attacking those he claims are irrelevant,” Eze said.

He argued that the 2027 election would provide a clearer test of Wike’s influence.

“Wike should wait for 2027. That is when the reality will become clear. Nigerians and Rivers people will demonstrate through the ballot box the extent of his relevance. All strategies designed to manipulate, intimidate or undermine democratic choice will be resisted by Nigerians who are determined to reclaim their democracy.”

There is, however, no evidence in the material reviewed to support Eze’s allegation that Wike has never won an election in Rivers State except through rigging or electoral inducement.

In fact, INEC records show that Wike won the 2015 Rivers governorship election with 1,029,102 votes, defeating APC candidate Dakuku Peterside, who received 124,896 votes.

Amaechi remains part of Rivers political history

Eze also defended Amaechi, who governed Rivers from 2007 to 2015 before Wike succeeded him.

“Amaechi will remain Amaechi. Wike’s constant attacks cannot alter history or erase the political relationship and hierarchy that existed between them. The more Wike attempts to diminish Amaechi, the more he advertises his own obsession with him,” Eze said.

Amaechi and Wike were once political allies. Wike served as Amaechi’s chief of staff before the relationship deteriorated amid wider political divisions within the PDP and between the two men. Wike eventually defeated Amaechi-backed candidate Dakuku Peterside in the 2015 governorship election.

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Dispute over NBA conference

Eze also rejected Wike’s criticism of the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference, which took place in Port Harcourt from 21 to 28 August.

The NBA’s official conference programme describes the gathering as its flagship legal event and says it brought together lawyers, policymakers, members of the judiciary and other participants. The 2026 conference was themed “Beyond Limits”.

Wike, who did not attend the conference, described it as a “complete flop” and accused its organisers of turning it into a political event.

“Instead of concentrating on issues affecting the NBA, they started playing politics,” Wike said.

He also defended his decision not to attend, saying:

“Anybody who knows me knows that I don’t attend something that’s a jamboree. I will not attend something that traders are in charge.”

Wike further alleged that opposition politicians used the gathering to promote themselves.

Eze rejected that assessment and said Wike’s absence should not determine how the conference is judged.

“If Wike was not invited, that should make him reflect rather than attack the NBA. Serious national conversations cannot be reduced to the question of whether one individual received an invitation.”

The available evidence establishes that the conference was held and that the NBA had planned a substantial programme. It does not, by itself, establish whether Wike’s assessment of its quality was justified.

What is at stake in 2027?

The disagreement is larger than a personal exchange between two politicians.

Rivers State has become an important battleground in the wider struggle over alliances ahead of the 2027 elections. Wike says he retains a political structure capable of delivering Rivers and the FCT for Tinubu, while opposition figures are seeking to build a coalition capable of challenging the president.

The 2023 Rivers governorship election illustrates why competing claims of political control remain difficult to settle through rhetoric alone. Siminalayi Fubara, then the PDP candidate, won with 302,614 votes against Tonye Cole of the APC, who received 95,274 votes.

But election results alone do not establish who controls a party structure several years later.

That question will depend on party nominations, defections, campaign organisation, voter turnout and, ultimately, the votes cast in 2027.

Eze said Wike should therefore focus on his public responsibilities rather than treat political structures as personal property.

“Political structures belong to the people, not to individuals. Democracy is not a military formation where one man declares himself General Commander and everyone else must obey. In 2027, the people will decide.”

He concluded:

“Wike may continue to make political declarations, attack Atiku, attack Amaechi and boast about his structures. But ultimately, the people will have the final say. 2027 will be the moment when political claims are tested against political reality.”

For now, neither side can conclusively demonstrate through public statements who commands the majority of Rivers voters.

The next major test will come through the political realignment, party primaries and campaign activities leading to the 2027 elections.

Governor Aiyedatiwa says latest payment targets 2020 retirees and outstanding beneficiaries as he promises to clear inherited arrears before leaving office

Ondo State has begun paying ₦3.82 billion in gratuities to 985 retired public servants, including 509 retirees from the 2020 batch and 476 people whose payments remained outstanding from earlier years.

The beneficiaries include former civil servants, secondary school teaching and non-teaching staff, and workers from state-owned parastatals.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced the payment at a ceremony in Akure on Wednesday, 2 September. He said the exercise formed part of efforts to deal with gratuity obligations inherited by his administration.

The governor described the payment as “a debt of honour being discharged” to people who had spent their working years serving Ondo State.

“When our Administration came to the saddle, we inherited billions of Naira in outstanding gratuity obligations covering the period from 2015 to date. We did not shy away from this burden. Rather, we confronted it with courage, responsibility and a clear understanding that governance is not only about initiating new projects; it is equally about confronting inherited challenges and resolving them,” he said.

Why the payment matters

Gratuity is a lump-sum benefit owed to eligible workers when they leave public service. Delays can leave retirees waiting for years for money they expected to receive after retirement.

The latest payment therefore provides immediate financial relief to the 985 beneficiaries. It also reduces part of the state’s outstanding obligations to former workers.

From 2015 arrears to the 2020 batch

The latest exercise follows a series of gratuity payments announced by the Aiyedatiwa administration.

In March 2026, the government announced ₦2.4 billion for retirees from 2018 and 2019. Earlier, in October 2025, it announced a payment of about ₦2.4 billion covering 2016 and 2017 retirees.

In June 2026, the state also announced more than ₦2.6 billion for retired local government and primary school workers who left service in 2015. The governor said at the time that his administration intended to pay all outstanding gratuities before the end of its tenure.

The sequence suggests a phased approach to reducing the backlog rather than a single settlement.

In February 2025, the governor had also said his administration would continue settling outstanding gratuities despite financial constraints. The Federal Ministry of Information reported that the government had previously released ₦3 billion in three phases for arrears up to 2012 and allocated another ₦2.5 billion for retirees from 2013.

The latest ₦3.82 billion payment therefore represents another substantial release of public funds towards retirement obligations.

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Who is being paid?

The Ondo State Pension Transition Office said the current exercise covers retirees from:

– 2015 Batch C

– 2016 Batch C

– 2017 Batch C

– 2018 Batch B

– 2019 Batch B

– 2020 Batch A

Permanent Secretary of the office, Dr Peter Akingbade, said beneficiaries were already receiving bank alerts.

He said the government would pay the beneficiaries their full gratuity entitlements rather than make partial payments.

“The payment process is continuous,” Akingbade said, urging retirees who had not completed verification to come forward with the necessary documentation.

This means retirees who have not completed the verification process may still face a delay even as the latest batch receives payment.

What the governor promised

Aiyedatiwa said his administration had defrayed the outstanding gratuities for 2015 to 2019 and described the latest payment to 2020 retirees as another step towards clearing the backlog.

“Today, we are taking another giant step forward with the flag-off of payment to retirees of the year 2020. We give all glory to Almighty God for the grace and enablement to fulfil this important obligation,” he said.

He also gave an assurance to retirees.

“We remember your service; we respect your sacrifice; and we will not forget your entitlement,” he said.

The governor’s wider promise is to clear the inherited gratuity arrears before he leaves office.

That commitment creates a clear test for the administration: it will need to disclose how many eligible retirees remain unpaid, the total value of outstanding obligations and the timetable for settling them.

Retirees welcome payment

Speaking for the beneficiaries, Mrs Nike Ogunbodede thanked the governor and described the payment as a major development for retired workers.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Johnson Osunyemi, also commended the government.

He said Ondo was among the leading states in the country in efforts to clear gratuity backlogs owed to retired workers.

Those comments represent the beneficiaries’ and pensioners’ assessment of the payment. They do not, by themselves, independently establish the state’s position relative to every other state in Nigeria.

The accountability question

The immediate benefit of the payment is clear: 985 retirees should receive money owed to them, with the state saying it is paying their full entitlements.

The broader question is whether the payment programme can keep pace with new retirement obligations while eliminating the old backlog.

The government has not stated in the latest announcement how much it has spent on all gratuity payments since Aiyedatiwa took office, nor has it published a consolidated balance showing the amount still owed.

Such information would allow retirees, workers and taxpayers to measure progress against the administration’s pledge.

For now, the ₦3.82 billion release moves another group of former workers from the waiting list to payment. The next stage will be whether the state can maintain the pace of disbursement and ultimately fulfil its promise to clear the remaining inherited arrears.