The Presidency has hit back at former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi over his claim that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies contributed to the death of his mother.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Policy Communications dismissed the claim on Wednesday.
Bwala made the remarks on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“I haven’t worked in the Atiku camp before, and then seeing what Rotimi Amaechi is bringing to their camp, I think he’s bringing a bit of what they will call liveliness,” he said.
However, Bwala accused Amaechi of relying on what he described as fake news, populist narratives, innuendo and falsehoods rather than substantive arguments.
“But he’s bringing a bit of fake news, a bit of populist narrative that doesn’t necessarily call for substance, you know, the detail,” Bwala said.
He then referred to Amaechi’s comments about his late mother and the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
“And then, of course, innuendo and falsehood. For example, one of the falsehoods he peddled, I learned that he’s backtracking from it, is the fact that he said the economic policy of the President killed his mother,” Bwala said.
“I mean, even the madman that advised, that used to advise Peter Obi, would not believe this if you asked him. Economic policy of the President killed his mother,” he added.
The interviewer immediately challenged Bwala over his use of the word “madman” in describing the person he said had advised Peter Obi.
When asked to clarify which words were considered too strong, Bwala said Obi said so himself.
“No, Peter Obi himself said—and I think I’ll get the video and show it to you—where he said that this advice was given to him by a madman. He said it,” Bwala said.
The exchange followed renewed political controversy over comments made by Amaechi about his mother, Mary Amaechi, who died on July 16, 2026, at the age of 89.
Amaechi had made the comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he criticised the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system.
The former governor said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu became President in May 2023 but that the rising cost of medicines subsequently made it difficult for him to continue purchasing the drugs she required.
“The policies Tinubu introduced are killing people. I lost my mother because of the policies. We have lost people. President Tinubu’s policies killed my mother,” Amaechi said.
He added, “Before Tinubu became President, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, when Tinubu came, it became difficult to buy drugs for my mother. I did the best I could in taking care of my mother.”
Amaechi’s comments attracted a response from Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who questioned his claim that he could not afford his mother’s medication.
Speaking during a visit to the Uzugbani Ekpeye National Executive Council at Ekpeye House in Ahoada, Rivers State, Wike referred to Amaechi’s previous public offices, including his time as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor of the state and Minister of Transportation.
“And your mother was sick, and you are telling the whole world that because of the policy of Tinubu, you couldn’t buy drugs for your mother, and so your mother died,” Wike said.
Wike also questioned why Amaechi did not seek financial assistance from people close to him if the cost of the medication had become difficult to meet.
“But you have told the world that your wife is an industrialist. Yet, your industrialist couldn’t give you money to buy drugs for your mother?” Wike asked.
The FCT minister further criticised Amaechi for bringing his late mother into the political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“In one of the videos, he said, ‘If ADC wins the election, his mother will be very happy.’ So the only condition is that their mother will not be happy if ADC does not win,” Wike said.
“You are the one who said your mother would be happy if ADC wins. How can you bring a loved one, who is old, to play politics?” he added.