By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Nyesom Wike and Seun Okinbaloye |
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sparked fresh controversy after expressing intense grievance toward Channels TV anchor Seun Okinbaloye. During a media parley in Abuja on Friday, Wike slammed the veteran journalist for voicing concerns regarding the emergence of a one-party state in Nigeria under the President Bola Tinubu administration.
The tension follows a Thursday edition of Politics Today, where Okinbaloye discussed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recent derecognition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership. The move, which followed a court verdict, has been viewed by critics as a blow to the opposition's strength ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Expressing his professional concern, Okinbaloye stated: “I am particularly pained because what makes the race very interesting is when it is competitive... If this hope [the opposition] is dashed, we are doomed democratically.”
Minister Wike did not hold back his displeasure during his Friday briefing, using heavy metaphors to describe his frustration with the broadcast.
“I was thoroughly surprised yesterday when I was watching Seun’s Politics Today. If there is any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” Wike remarked. He quickly clarified that he did not mean physical harm, adding, “I am not saying I will kill him. I am just angered that he made that kind of statement on national television.”
Wike argued that while it is within a journalist's purview to ask tough questions of the opposition, it is "unprofessional" and "unbefitting" for an interviewer to inject personal opinions that suggest the government is plotting to dismantle multi-party democracy.
The debate over Nigeria’s political landscape has intensified following INEC’s stance on the ADC leadership crisis. While some legal analysts defend the electoral body for adhering to judicial rulings, others accuse the APC-led government of using state institutions to stifle rival parties.
Key points of the controversy include: INEC’s Position: Validating the Court of Appeal judgment regarding ADC leadership.
The Opposition’s Stance: The ADC coalition has vowed to proceed with its scheduled congresses despite the setback.
Presidency Warning: The Presidency has labeled the ADC’s defiance as “lawless,” warning of legal consequences.
Wike’s comments have reignited the conversation on the boundary between journalistic commentary and political neutrality. The Minister insisted that an interviewer should remain a neutral arbiter rather than an advocate for a specific political outcome.