The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has claimed that he was wealthy even before joining politics.

He said, unlike his predecessor Rotimi Amaechi, who claimed to be from a poor background, he’s from a well-to-do family.

The minister also admitted that he owns a Rolls-Royce car he purchased with his money.

Mr Wike stated this during an interview on Channels TV while replying to corruption allegations levelled against him by Mr Amaechi.

“I have a Rolls-Royce; nobody gave it to me; I bought it for myself. I didn’t come from the same background as Rotimi Amaechi. As a student, I was using a Mercedes-Benz. My father was the manager of so many companies. I come from a rich background but not too rich like the Dangotes.

Mr Wike also dismissed the chances of the newly opposition politicians under the Action Democratic Congress, ADC, to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

He also said those who dumped the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to join the ADC, have no electoral value.

“Who are those who left the PDP to the ADC? I am not going to speak for the APC. But let me take the people one by one. Which of them that you called the heavyweight of the PDP delivered his local government and his state in the last election?” he asked.

“How can you rate David Mark as a big weight of PDP? In his local constituency, his daughter ran under the APC and she won. But he, as leader of the party, couldn’t win for the PDP. Two things are involved: it is either he has been playing the PDP for long or he is not on ground.”

Mr Wike also described critics of Mr Tinubu’s administration as hypocrites, accusing them of being responsible for Nigeria’s economic woes.

He said, “I never told you that as a government, we don’t have challenges. But first, who are these people telling Nigerians we are suffering? Were they not the same people, when in government, put Nigerians into this suffering?

“Amaechi was a governor for eight years, a speaker for eight years, and a minister for eight years. He never knew Nigerians were suffering then. In fact, Amaechi was one of the persons who championed Jonathan’s removal. He has even said it openly that we kicked him off.”