ADC: Wike insulting coalition leaders out of fear — but it’s too late to cry

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), is rattled by the party’s adoption as the platform for the opposition coalition.

On Wednesday, members of the coalition announced the ADC as their platform for the 2027 election.

Several politicians cutting across party lines are members of the coalition.

They include former Senate President David Mark; Rauf Aregbesola, ex-minister of interior; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023.

Others are Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; Solomon Dalung, former minister of sports; and Odigie Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

They also include Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice; Dino Melaye; Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine; Eyinnanya Abaribe; Gabriel Suswan; Ireti Kingibe; Elisha Abbo; Uche Secondus; Tunde Ogbeha; Victor Umeh; Lauretta Onochie; and Liyel Imoke, among others.

Speaking during a media chat on Thursday, Wike launched a tirade against all coalition leaders, describing them as failed politicians.

‘IT’S TOO LATE TO CRY’

However, in a statement on Thursday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the interim national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the FCT minister insulted opposition leaders out of fear of the emerging coalition.

“Without justifying this behaviour that we find incompatible with the office of a Federal Minister, we believe Minister Wike could only descend to that level because of his mortal fear of the threat that the successful unveiling of the coalition of opposition political parties constitutes to the government that he serves,” the statement reads.

Abdullahi said if Wike and the government he serves had fulfilled their promises to Nigerians, there would be no need for a coalition — and no reason for him to be so “jittery”.

He also took a swipe at Wike over the striking teachers in the FCT, saying the minister is inaugurating “white elephant projects running into billions of naira”, while students remain at home.

“Minister Wike claimed in his media chat that the coalition leaders are driven only by grievances. If we have any grievances, it is the way the government in which he is a part has driven the majority of Nigerians into poverty and misery,” he said.

“We are aggrieved to see children of the poor unable to get an education because he would not pay their teachers’ salaries.

“We are aggrieved to watch the growing insecurity in the FCT that he superintends. We are aggrieved that Minister Wike had allowed himself to be used by the government he serves to destroy one of the most powerful political parties in Africa, the PDP.

“But it is rather too late in the day to cry. The coalition movement belongs to the Nigerian people, who had been promised renewed hope but have been served renewed hopelessness.

“Therefore, no amount of tirade against the leaders of the coalition could stem the tide of this popular movement.”

Abdullahi added that if Wike and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had been accountable to Nigerians, he “would have had no reason to fear the coalition”.