It has become customary for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to make unguarded statements in public. These reckless statements, to an extent, undermine the image-laundering and integrity-building efforts of the present administration of President Bola Tinubu, which the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under Mohammed Idris, is laboring very hard to achieve.
Ordinarily, for someone who occupies such a sensitive office, the FCT minister should, in all ramifications, be decorous. His public conduct and utterances should reflect the government's genuine intentions to clear itself of the controversies that led to its emergence. But that is not the case with Wike, the loquacious former governor of Rivers State.
Aside from the damage he is doing to the Tinubu administration, some of the FCT minister's outbursts are inciting and capable of inflaming the country. His recent anti-Ijaw comments sparked outrage last week, as scores of people took to the streets in Warri and Port Harcourt to protest. Such protests, as we have seen in recent times, could be hijacked by fifth columnists and lead to a breakdown of law and order.
Arguably, Wike remains one of the shining stars in the Tinubu administration, but his stellar performance has been tainted by all the face-offs he has been involved in. The ongoing political crisis in Rivers State bears his imprimatur. Last weekend, he forced himself on the people of Abalama, an ancient town in Kalabari, Rivers State, in a purported thanksgiving organized by one of his allies. At that event, he again made unpardonable and provocative statements.
Wike is also fond of having live media chats, where he makes uncouth and very disparaging remarks against his real and perceived political enemies. Rather than use the session to address various issues that concern the development of the FCT, and by extension promote his government, he goes haywire, abusing, dishing out threats, and generally expressing his frustrations.
His abrasive style, obsession with media attacks, and grandstanding have become a significant aspect of his public persona. In addition, Wike's shameless and irritating boastfulness gives him away as someone with a complex problem. All of these have become his albatross. He has accumulated more enemies for himself and the government he is serving than any of his colleagues. It is time for him to take a chill pill. He needs to take steps to change the sullied public perception about him.
Wike cannot continue to act like a warlord whose territory is about to be conquered. He needs to make peace with himself and face his job. The next general elections are still about two years away. He should stop heating up the polity. As a political leader, his followers often act based on his body language and words. If he doesn't stop, we may witness bloody attacks in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
For a man who has openly confessed his profound love for alcohol, most Nigerians now attribute his public conduct to it. His arrogance is a typical case of "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." His benefactors, including former governors Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi, are all victims of his derogatory and caustic remarks. Wike believes he made himself in his journey to political stardom. His disrespect for the elders of his state is unprecedented. Surprisingly, his employer, President Bola Tinubu, has not cautioned or reprimanded him. This has emboldened him and fueled his appetite to continue to engage his political opponents in unnecessary and unwarranted brickbats.
As his boss, we expect Tinubu to call him to order. Yes, he was instrumental in some underground works that secured his 2023 presidential victory, but that is not enough to jeopardize his administration's image and the collective peace of Rivers State and the Niger Delta. It is time to put an end to his misconduct to avoid an escalation of the brewing tension in the region.
Tinubu should know that the dynamics of the 2027 presidential election will be quite different from 2023. The odds may work against him if he builds his victory around "strong men" like Wike. He should also advise him to allow his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, to rest. If Rivers State boils, the effect of it will be felt all over.
