Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that his previous claims of being Igbo were politically motivated rather than reflecting his true ethnic identity.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television's Prime Time, Amaechi clarified that he is an Ikwerre man from Rivers State, not Igbo as he had sometimes portrayed himself in the past.

"I'm an Ikwerre man. If you ask an Ikwerre man who he is, he will tell you that he's an Ikwerre man," Amaechi stated during the interview.

Political Protest Behind Igbo Claims

The former Rivers State governor explained that his association with Igbo identity stemmed from his dissatisfaction with how the Southeast region was being treated in Nigeria.

"Why did I take that position? It's political, but not to win the votes of the Igbos. I didn't like the way Igbos were being treated at a particular point in time. In protest, I began to wear the Tiger head cloth with the red cap," Amaechi revealed.

He further emphasized that his public declaration of being Igbo was a deliberate protest gesture aimed at drawing attention to issues affecting the Southeast region. "I wore it in protest, asking Nigerians to address their problems. Again, I made it public that I'm an Igbo man in protest," he added.

Historical Context

The revelation provides context to Amaechi's previous public statements, including one made during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign in Aba, Abia State in 2015, where he declared: "I am a bona fide Igbo man. My name is Amaechi but President Jonathan who says his name is Azikiwe cannot speak the Igbo language."

Amaechi acknowledged that while most Ikwerre people do not consider themselves Igbo, there is "a very tiny minority which includes me" who have made such claims, though his was admittedly for political reasons.

This clarification comes amid ongoing discussions about ethnic identity and political representation in Nigeria, particularly as the country continues to navigate complex interethnic relationships and political alliances.