The Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has credited his predecessor, Dr Peter Odili as a pivotal figure in his personal and political life.
Describing him as the one person besides his father who had the most profound impact on him, Amaechi said Odili and I will never insult him. Never! Never!”.
Speaking in a candid interview with Daily Sun, Amaechi was asked to identify the individual who had touched his life the most apart from his late father. Without hesitation, he named Odili, under whom he served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Dr. (Peter) Odili was one. In my growing up, he had a huge role to play,” Amaechi said. “That is why no matter what they do to me, I won’t talk about Dr. Odili and I will never insult him. Never! Never!”
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Amaechi recounted how Odili supported him not only politically but also during deeply personal moments, including the burial of his father—a responsibility Amaechi said he could not afford at the time.
“He had a huge influence in my life. He contributed quite a lot. He even helped me bury my dad when my father died. I had no money to bury my father. So, I find it difficult,” Amaechi recalled.
Despite political differences and shifting alliances over the years, Amaechi maintained that his respect for Odili remains unshaken. “Sometimes, you are tempted to put some records straight; sometimes, you are tempted to confront him, but always have at the back of your mind that he was an instrument that God used to push you up,” he added.
Odili, who served as governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007, was succeeded briefly by Celestine Omehia. However, a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court later nullified Omehia’s tenure and recognized Amaechi as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ushering him into office in 2007.
Amaechi’s remarks stand out as a rare moment of reflection in Nigeria’s often combative political landscape, shedding light on the personal bonds that shape public service.
