In a fiery takedown laced with political jabs and a call for reflection, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has slammed members of the newly formed ADC-led opposition coalition, accusing them of lacking ideological direction and being motivated solely by selfish interests.
The former Rivers State governor made the remarks during a thanksgiving service held at St. James Anglican Church, Asokoro, to mark the successful inauguration of 17 completed projects in the FCT under his leadership.
“They Are Rescuing Their Stomachs, Not Nigeria”
Without mincing words, Wike ridiculed the coalition’s credibility, questioning the sincerity of politicians who have repeatedly changed party affiliations over the years.
“In 1999, you are in this party. In 2006, you are in another party. In 2014, you moved to another party. In 2019, you came back to another party. By 2025, you are moving to another party to rescue whom? You want to rescue your stomach. It’s not Nigeria you want to rescue,” he fired, as quoted by The Punch.
The coalition in question—comprised of former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai—had earlier in the week unveiled the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform for the 2027 presidential election. Former Senate President David Mark was named interim national chairman, while Rauf Aregbesola emerged as interim secretary.
Despite the presence of some former APC heavyweights—such as ex-party chairman John Oyegun, ex-AGF Abubakar Malami, and Amaechi himself—Wike scoffed at the idea that the movement had the moral weight to challenge the ruling party in 2027.
Wike Doubles Down on Tinubu Loyalty
Reaffirming his alignment with the APC and President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Wike stated clearly: “I have chosen to stand with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC. We are delivering results—not noise.”
ICC Refurbishment: N700 Million in 3 Weeks
Wike also used the occasion to trumpet one of his flagship projects in the FCT—the N39 billion renovation of the International Conference Centre (ICC), recently renamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
In a surprising revelation, the FCT minister disclosed that the revamped ICC generated over N700 million in just three weeks, a staggering leap from its previous annual revenue of N50 million under the past management.
“Do you know the shocking thing?” Wike asked. “The man who was running it—from Adamawa—was paying the government N50 million a year. But in just three weeks, we’ve already made over N700 million.”
Targeting Amaechi Again
The former Rivers governor didn’t stop there. In what appeared to be a veiled attack at his longtime political rival, Rotimi Amaechi, Wike called on President Tinubu to release the forensic audit report of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) covering 2015–2022.
He accused former AGF Abubakar Malami of deliberately stalling the report’s release to shield those allegedly implicated.
Wike also leveled damning allegations against Amaechi’s wife, Judith, accusing her of receiving large sums of public funds for questionable projects during the Buhari administration.
The Battle Lines Are Drawn
With the 2027 elections looming, Wike’s sharp rhetoric signals that the war for Nigeria’s political soul has fully begun. His message is clear: the new opposition alliance, no matter how grand its unveiling, will face a fierce battle—not just at the polls, but in the hearts and minds of skeptical Nigerians.
As the ADC continues to gather momentum and internal divisions rock the Labour Party and PDP, the question remains: Is Wike right about the coalition being a “stomach rescue mission”? Or is this the voice of a man protecting his turf?
Whatever the case, the road to 2027 just got bumpier—and a lot louder.
