STOCKHOLM — Kio Amachree has responded to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his reported concern that President Bola Tinubu could lose the 2027 presidential election, saying the minister’s fear of possible accountability under a new administration is “well founded.”
In an open letter titled “An Open Letter to Nyesom Wike: Your Fear Is Well Founded,” Amachree said Wike had acknowledged that he feared a victory by either Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar because, according to the minister, “they will come for my head.”
Amachree, however, interpreted the statement as an indication that Wike was conscious of the possibility of scrutiny after the 2027 election. He stressed that the accountability he envisages should be pursued through lawful institutions rather than violence or political retaliation.
“I, Kio Amachree, am doing everything within my power, and using every connection I have, to make certain that the man you have tied your fortunes to never sees a second term,” he wrote.
He disclosed that he had written to several international figures and institutions, including US President Donald Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel, the United Nations Secretary-General and the UN Security Council, urging scrutiny of President Tinubu’s record.
A major part of the letter focused on the long-running controversy surrounding a 1993 US civil forfeiture proceeding involving funds linked to Bola Tinubu.
Amachree referred to Case No. 93 C 4483 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, asserting that the United States government seized approximately $460,000 from accounts linked to Tinubu as proceeds connected to heroin trafficking.
However, in an important qualification, the letter itself acknowledged that the Chicago matter was a civil forfeiture proceeding and not a criminal conviction.
Amachree also referred to litigation concerning records sought from the FBI and DEA, alleging that the documents could shed further light on investigations into Tinubu’s activities.
He questioned why there should be resistance to the release of such records if they contained nothing damaging, asking: “Who fights this hard to hide files if the files contain nothing?”
The allegation, however, remains a matter of contention and should not be treated as proof of criminal conduct. The open letter’s disclaimer expressly states that questions raised regarding the records are not verdicts and that all persons named are entitled to respond.
Amachree further criticised Wike’s political association with the Tinubu administration, describing the minister as having “chained yourself to a sinking anchor.”
He linked his concerns to developments in Rivers State, invoking his family’s historical connection to the state. According to Amachree, his father, Chief Godfrey Kio Jaja Amachree QC, was among the founding figures of Rivers State and served as Nigeria’s first Solicitor-General and an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
He vowed that issues surrounding the administration of Rivers State, including what he described as the “emergency rule, the billions, the arrogance,” should eventually be subjected to legal scrutiny.
“Not mob justice. Épuration légale. Courts, records, questions, answers,” he declared.
The letter ended with a direct message to Wike: “So yes, Mr. Wike. Be afraid. Not of assassins — nobody wants your head. Be afraid of something far worse for men like you: due process.”
Amachree concluded with the words, “You wanted a fight. Let’s tango,” while reaffirming his call for what he described as lawful accountability.
The statement comes against the backdrop of growing political realignment ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with opposition figures and groups intensifying their criticism of the Tinubu administration and its political allies.
