Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is a popular Nigerian politician who served as the fifth Governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and the current Minister of Transportation. He was born on May 27, 1965 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State to the family of late Elder Fidelis Amaechi and Mrs Mary Amaechi. He was raised in Diobu where he had his early education at St Theresa’s Primary School from 1970 to 1976.
Ameachi had his secondary education at Government Secondary School Okolobiri. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt in 1987, where he was the President of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS). After hi National Youth Service in 1988, he joined the Services of Pamo Clinics and Hospitals Limited owned by Peter Odili, the former Governor of Rivers State where he worked until 1992.
He began his political career as Secretary of the now defunct National Republican Convention in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Between 1992 and 1994, he was Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Sir (Dr.) Peter Odili, and also a member of the Board of West Africa Glass Industry as well as Risonpalm Nigeria Limited. Dr. Peter Odili loved him so much and adopted him as a political son, guiding and nurturing him in politics, and consequently facilitating his election into the Rivers State House of Assembly in 1999. Amaechi was the Rivers State’s Secretary of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) caretaker committee after in 1996 during the transition programme of General Sanni Abacha junta.
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In 2007, he contested and won the People’s Democratic Party primary for Rivers State Governor.
He was re-elected for a second term in April 2011. Amaechi was a member of the People’s Democratic Party before defecting to the All Progressives Congress on 27 November 2013. He is now a serving Federal Minister of Transportation.
His administration invested in infrastructure development, construction of roads and bridges, sticking to the vision of connecting all parts of the state by road. The governor was also committed to urban renewal and modernization of transportation services. His administration began building a monorail to provide mass transportation within the city of Port Harcourt. Power plant projects (Afam, Trans Amadi, Onne) were also built to improve power supply in the State.
Amaechi holds the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). He is a Christian Catholic and a Knight of St. Johns.
He is married to Judith Amaechi and they have three boys.
