The minister's comment is a reaction to the killing of 21 residents of the state on New Year's Day.
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has called on Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to ensure the security of lives in the state and stop playing politics with important issues.
While speaking to State House correspondents on Tuesday, December 2, 2017, the former Rivers governor said his successor has everything at his disposal to fight insecurity in the state and that he should resign if he can't handle the challenge.
The minister's comment is a reaction to the killing of 21 residents of the state who were on their way back from New Year's crossover service in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
Amaechi said, "It never happened when I was governor. We (the security chiefs and myself) ensured that we didn't sleep at night. We stayed awake for the citizens to sleep. I think the governor needs to do much more than that or quit the office.
"I was governor of Rivers State, I did not play PDP/APC politics. Life is life, it has no symbol. Nobody has APC life or PDP life.
"The first responsibility of a governor which is what the oath of office requires, is that you swear to protect lives and property.
"When you don't protect life and property, what do you do? It is impeachment. Unfortunately, there is no House of Assembly in Rivers State.
"There is too much noise coming from Rivers State. The governor just wakes up and starts shouting, abusing people. That is all he does. Mr. Project painting roads.
"The first thing you do is human capacity development and keeping human beings and we are losing lives every day.
"I just don't know because the things are there for him to work with. He is not like me when during my second term, President Goodluck Jonathan took away Police, SSS. The Army brigade commander couldn't visit me.
"But in his case, everyone is disposed to him. He can see the Commissioner of Police, director SSS, unlike my period but we fought insecurity.
"But because he needs these people for election purpose that is why they are still there, that is why they are killing, we need much more than that.
"Unfortunately, I swore not to be talking about Rivers anymore but you don’t keep quiet in the face of 21 lives, you can’t just keep quiet.
"I have said it that nobody should criticise his successor. But a successor that watches the lives of people go like that and does not care? God will bless him."
Amaechi vs Wike
Even though he was Rivers State governor between 2007 and 2015, Amaechi hasn't enjoyed the best relationship with his successor, Wike.
The feud resulted in a very ugly clash between the security details attached to both men when their convoys came head to head in November.
Wike alleged that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel and soldiers attached to Amaechi attacked his convoy.
A statement released by the governor's office read, "Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Saturday escaped assassination as Special Anti-robbery Squad Operatives and soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the motorcade of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi attacked his convoy.
"The governor who was on project inspection was attacked at Nwanja Junction on Trans-Amadi Road. The SARs Personnel and Soldiers in the Minister's convoy hit down the Governor's Escort Rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car."
"Debewari , Aide -De- Camp, to the Minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, supervised the attack, which included damage of cameras held by journalists. Also part of the attack, was the Commander of Rivers SARS, Mr Akin Fakorede who received the Minister of Transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied on his trip."