Abati should resign his position as a host and go join Rotimi Amaechi’s media team officially
Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on veteran broadcaster and Arise TV anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati, to step down from his role as a television presenter. Olayinka suggested that Abati should instead formally assume the role of spokesperson for former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Olayinka made the remarks during his appearance on Arise TV on Friday, June 6, where he responded to comments previously made by Abati that criticized his principal, Nyesom Wike.
According to Olayinka, Abati has abandoned journalistic objectivity and crossed the line into political partisanship by aligning himself with Amaechi in the ongoing war of words between the former Rivers State governors.
Tensions flared after former Minister Amaechi, during a speech marking his 60th birthday, expressed concern over the deteriorating state of the nation. He declared that “millions of Nigerians, including myself, are hungry,” and suggested that the opposition could unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election with sufficient public support.
The statement did not sit well with Wike, who, during a subsequent media chat, accused Amaechi of politicizing the country’s challenges. Wike questioned how someone who has held powerful positions for over two decades could claim to be hungry.
Reacting strongly to Wike’s statements, Reuben Abati lashed out at the FCT Minister on Tuesday, June 3, accusing him of being “rude and disrespectful” toward those who played pivotal roles in his political rise. Abati went further to describe Wike as possessing a “character flaw,” adding that he often speaks recklessly, especially about his political mentors.
“Rotimi Amaechi is Wike’s political benefactor,” Abati emphasized. “When Wike served as a local government chairman—or perhaps a councillor—during Amaechi’s tenure, it was Amaechi who enabled him to rise politically. It is unacceptable for Wike to treat his former boss with such contempt.”
Abati also cited Wike’s history of public clashes with other elder statesmen, including former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili. “There was a time Wike said Peter Odili does not deserve to be regarded as an elder,” Abati recounted. “He referred to Odili as ‘just one man,’ and dismissed his wife in the same breath.”
Abati did not stop there. He warned President Bola Tinubu to tread carefully in his relationship with Wike, suggesting that the minister could, in the future, turn against the president as he had allegedly done with others in the past.
“He insulted Senator John Mbata, once his godfather. Nothing stops him from doing the same to President Tinubu,” Abati said. “If I had known that the president would consider declaring a state of emergency in Rivers, I would have given different advice.”
In a fiery rebuttal on the same platform, Olayinka expressed his dismay at what he called Abati’s “unprofessional conduct” and biased commentary. He claimed that Abati’s criticism stemmed from political loyalty rather than journalistic integrity.
“I was not surprised that Reuben Abati is absent from today’s programme,” Olayinka stated. “I commend Arise TV’s management for what I heard—that he was asked to step aside because of my appearance. Frankly, Abati should resign his position as a host and go join Rotimi Amaechi’s media team officially.”
He went on to accuse Abati of hypocrisy, alleging that the broadcaster did not consider Wike “rude and disrespectful” in the past when he allegedly sought the minister’s assistance. “He only began attacking Wike after it became politically convenient for him to do so,” Olayinka added.
However, fellow Arise TV anchor Rufai Oseni quickly countered Olayinka’s claim, clarifying that Abati was absent from the show not because of any internal directive but because he had called in sick.
Despite the denial, Olayinka stood by his position, reiterating that Abati had effectively abandoned neutrality. “Anyone watching his recent appearances would know he’s acting more like Amaechi’s media aide than a journalist. If that’s the case, then he should stop pretending and go do the job properly,” he said.
The exchange highlights the intensifying political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, two powerful figures in Rivers State politics, and the increasingly contentious role the media plays in shaping public narratives around their feud.