Abuja, Nigeria – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the opposition party has inadvertently admitted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is delivering on its promises.
Wike’s latest salvo comes amid an escalating war of words between the FCT Minister and the opposition coalition, which has coalesced under the ADC platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
The Minister’s Charge
Speaking during a recent engagement, Wike took a swipe at the ADC leadership, arguing that their criticism of government projects inadvertently validates the administration's performance. The Minister contended that the opposition's focus on ongoing infrastructure development across the FCT is a tacit acknowledgment that the Tinubu administration is making visible progress.
"You have been going about talking about projects, and in doing so, you have admitted that this government is working," Wike was quoted as saying. He has consistently pointed to the extension of infrastructure to satellite towns and rural communities as evidence of the administration's commitment to improving living conditions for residents .
Long-standing Tension
The exchange is the latest chapter in a protracted political battle between Wike and the ADC coalition. The opposition had previously accused the FCT Minister of overseeing "white elephant projects" while allegedly neglecting the welfare of workers, including the non-payment of primary school teachers' salaries .
In previous statements, the ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, had lambasted Wike's "behaviour" as "incompatible with the office of a Minister," adding that the coalition was formed as a direct response to the "renewed hopelessness" Nigerians were experiencing under the current administration .
The coalition also accused Wike of attempting to destroy the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and claimed that his outbursts are driven by "mortal fear" of the political threat the coalition poses to the Tinubu government .
Wike’s Dismissal of the ADC
Wike has previously dismissed the ADC as a political lightweight, pointing to the party's performance in recent elections in the FCT. In March, he declared the ADC "fake and nonexistent" in the nation's capital, noting that the party could not win a single councillorship seat out of sixty-two wards during the last council elections .
"I don't know fake people. A party that cannot win one out of sixty-two wards? That is not a party," Wike had stated during a visit to the Bwari Area Council .
Broader Coalition Feud
The friction extends beyond the FCT. Wike recently claimed that the ADC presidential primary was rigged in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, suggesting that former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi "walked into a political trap" by joining the coalition .
In response, Atiku Abubakar's camp fired back, stating that Wike cannot dictate how the people of Rivers State will vote in 2027. Atiku's aide, Phrank Shaibu, said Wike's comments expose the "growing panic" within the Tinubu camp over the emergence of a formidable opposition coalition .
"The people of Rivers State are not political slaves. They are intelligent, independent-minded Nigerians who will make their choices based on the realities confronting them," Shaibu stated .
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