Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has aimed a jibe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as an unstable politician who has built a reputation for switching parties over the years.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also criticised the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and members of the opposition coalition for inciting discontent among Nigerians.
He spoke at the commissioning of the newly rehabilitated Aguma Palace–Radio Nigeria–New Market Road in Gwagwalada Area Council on Friday, July 4, 2025.
The Minister dismissed any potential threats by the opposition to the current government, insisting that no amount of “coalition politics” or propaganda can erase the visible results of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike also directed some derisive remarks at the leaders of the coalition, who, he said, are pained by the rapid transformation happening in the FCT under Tinubu’s leadership.
“Mr. President, today is the 16th day that you have devoted time to personally participate in commissioning ceremonies. I never knew people were so pained that so many things are going on very well in the FCT until last night when I saw one of the presidential aspirants of the coalition party that was an industrialist, so pained that he’s angry the President, the Vice President, the Senate President, the Speaker, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation are all coming to commission projects. Yet they say the people are angry!” he said.
Wike mocks Atiku
The Minister slammed the opposition figures, describing their adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “fake coalitions” formed to distract Nigerians from the administration’s projects.
He rubbished the underperformance claim against Tinubu by the opposition, questioning the propriety of plotting against the current government just six months after it took office.
“I never asked people, but they said the coalition started 18 months ago. Mr. President has been in office for two years. So you started the coalition when he was six months in office! When will you stop deceiving Nigerians?
“Somebody came into office six months, you say Nigerians are angry. But you were Senate President for eight years, you were Speaker for four years, you were Minister of Transportation for eight years. Yet you never made angry Nigerians happy but today you want to come back to power. You won’t come back,” Wike said.
The former Governor challenged the coalition leaders to account for the opportunities they had to serve the people.
“When he was Senate President, let me show my scorecard. How did I help the people of Benue State? Is it by flying in helicopter to Otukpo? We are here for 16 days, showing our scorecard,” he said.
The Minister recalled his political triumph over Amaechi over the years, reminding the crowd of his history of overcoming powerful godfathers, a vague reference to his predecessor.
Without mentioning his name, Wike mocked Atiku for jumping from one party to the other since 1999.
“In 2015, I defeated a very powerful governor who wanted his boy to be governor. In 2019, a super minister borrowing money from China and everywhere, making us highly indebted, I defeated him. In 2019, DG to Mr President, then he couldn’t get 20% for Mr President; I defeated him.
“In 2023, they said they will support one man one man whose business has been from 1999 ‘I’m in this party. 2006 I’m in this party. 2014, I’m in this party. 2019, I’m in the other party. Now, 2025, I’m in another coalition. Dem born you born coalition?”
