MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, uses his regular media chats to speak on politics and tackle opponents but has failed to exploit the opportunity to speak extensively on his achivements in the FCT.
Mr Wike skims over his performance as the FCT minister any time he holds his regular, often live, media briefings. On December 29, Mr Wike mocked Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State for declaring himself ‘001’ of the state, meaning the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Fubara is currently sparring with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who are loyal to Mr Wike.
Governor Fubara has not seen eye to eye with the Assembly since they were elected. His fight with them partly culminated to President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state in March, which saw the governor, his deputy and the Assembly suspended for 6 months. Despite returning to power since September 18, both the governor and the Assembly are yet to agree on anything – deepening the hatred from Mr Wike’s political camp against Governor Fubara.
The FCT Minister, in the media chat, also shifted attention to Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde’s allegation that he promised to ‘hold down’ the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a ‘blatant lie.’ Mr Makinde was Mr Wike’s former ally, but they fell out after the 2023 election.
“And let me put the record straight, there was no such meeting. Rather, my humble self, the former governor of Ikpeazu, the former governor of Benue State, Ugwuanyi, and Makinde went to see the president.”
He recalled that the former G-5 members booked to see the president to discuss certain issues. “We went to see the president to discuss, of course, elections were over, to discuss about certain things. While we were there, the chief of staff, of course, you should know that the chief of staff is always around.
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“You know, remind the president of what we have discussed. There was nothing like a meeting. We booked to go and see Mr. President.
“So it is completely out of place for anybody to say that in that meeting, I said to Mr. President, I will hold the PDP. That’s very unfair, very, very unfair.”
In his June 2025 media chat, Mr Wike had said that he derived joy from stepping on the toes of ‘big men.’ He criticised some chieftains of the PDP, including former Vice Chairman (South), Chief Bode George, saying that the PDP must pay the ground rent for its secretariat in Abuja. Mr Wike fell out with Mr George, his former ally, after the 2023 election. After the 2022 PDP presidential primaries, Mr Wike became an arch enemy of the party’s leadership.
Similarly, in the media briefing, Mr Wike accused his predecessors in the FCT, including former FCT Minister and now Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, of lacking the courage to compel political bigwigs owning structures in the nation’s capital to pay their annual ground rents. Again, Mr Wike and Mr Mohammed fell out after the 2023 election.
In May 2025 media chat, Mr Wike focused on Governor Fubara, who was then suspended by President Bola Tinubu, and then took time to slam some unnamed governors.
Mr Wike said Fubara came with two governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ask for forgiveness, despite being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Yes, he (Fubara) came with two governors and another person, but unfortunately, the two of them are APC governors. I wouldn’t pursue him. He said he wants peace, and I said I want peace too,” Wike said.
“There are steps. You people think this is about just saying, ‘I want peace,’ and then you go. What that means is that there’s an open window for you—take the necessary steps to show you want peace.
“Indeed, this is a self-inflicted injury. He doesn’t need it. When this crisis started, I called him. Seyi Makinde, Ortom, Ikpeazu, and Umahi were there. We sat him down and said, ‘This is not good for you. God has given it to you; don’t allow people to push you. You’re a governor—we know’.
“Don’t forget people laboured day and night. What I have said is: don’t forget people who toiled day and night.”
Concentrate on your achievements
Owing to Mr Wike’s public comments, people who spoke with Economy Post stressed the need for him to concentrate on his achievements as the FCT Minister during such media chats, rather than make them avenues for empty talk or political jabs.
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“If you are paying for an airtime for 1 or 2 hours, you should speak on your achievements,” said a Lagos-based journalist, Mr Enemen Ukpai. “Wike is the FCT minister and such chats should focus on his achievements, not on political fights, which go nowhere. The FCT is battling with a number of issues, including insecurity. That is what the media chats should be all about it.”
Another respondent, Mr Yahaya Abdul, an Abuja-based anti- corruption crusader, accused President Tinubu of deliberately allowing Mr Wike to use such media chats to achieve political gains.
“Tinubu knows what he is doing. Would he have allowed another minister to hold media chats and talk about politics in their home states? For Wike, the FCT is facing kidnapping, tell us what have you done about it. We have issues with armed robbery and theft. The state capital is battling with a poor health system, a transport system that is disorganised, and a poor road system in some communities. Talk about what you have done to fix these issues, rather than dwell on unimportant issues and name-calling,” he added.
