Wike Warns Against Opposition Propaganda, Defends Tinubu’s Reforms

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and not fall prey to what he described as opposition propaganda ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He made the call during a thanksgiving service held at Saint James Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja, where he praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its bold reforms and progress.

Wike warned religious leaders against repeating past mistakes, particularly their alleged role in the 2023 elections.

“The church almost made a grave error in 2023,” Wike said. “Some of us wouldn’t be here today if things had gone differently. Nigerians must learn to see beyond propaganda this time.”

Taking a swipe at Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Wike questioned his legacy as a two-term governor of Anambra State.

“He never conducted a single local government election in eight years. Nobody asked questions then. Yet, now they say democracy isn’t working. Was it working when one man served as both governor and chairman of all LGAs?” he asked.

He dismissed the ongoing coalition of opposition parties, calling it a reaction to their loss of power.

“They had 18 months to form a coalition, starting just six months into this administration. It shows they can’t stand being out of power. But they’re out now, and they won’t return.”

On the economy, Wike acknowledged current hardships but defended the administration’s policies, insisting that real recovery requires tough decisions.

“The economy was run aground. It can’t be fixed overnight. Back then, states were getting N14 billion monthly—today, they’re receiving N50 billion. That’s the result of this administration’s decisions.”

Wike also criticized former public officials who, he claimed, only remembered Nigeria’s problems after leaving office.

“Some were Senate President for eight years and couldn’t construct a road to their hometown. Others were Speaker, then Minister, but now shout about ‘rescuing’ Nigeria. Rescue what? Rescue your pockets first!”

Highlighting President Tinubu’s impact on the FCT, Wike listed several developments, including the creation of a dedicated civil service structure.

“Before now, FCT had no permanent secretaries of its own—only transfers from the federal service. Now, our civil servants can grow to that level,” he said.

He credited Tinubu’s decision to exempt the FCT from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) for enabling quicker project execution.

“With the TSA, development was stalled. We’ve now unlocked the funds and are delivering across the board.”

Wike also pointed to the dramatic turnaround of the International Conference Centre (ICC) as proof of improved governance.

“It used to generate just N50 million annually. We shut it down, renovated it, and in three weeks, it brought in N700 million. These are the people who now want to rescue Nigeria? From what?”

He concluded with a pledge of continued development in Abuja over the next 12 months and called on the church to support President Tinubu with prayers.

“If the President didn’t support us, we wouldn’t have these funds. Just wait and see what Abuja will look like in a year,” he said.
“Forget those who missed their chance to fix Nigeria—they won’t get another one.”