, Nyesom Wike, has harshly criticised key figures in the newly unveiled opposition alliance){kind=link}
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has harshly criticised key figures in the newly unveiled opposition alliance that recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform, branding them as “expired and failed politicians.”
Wike, in a fiery reaction on Thursday, took aim at several prominent coalition leaders, accusing them of having nothing meaningful to offer Nigerians and blaming them for the very problems they now claim they want to solve.
He singled out Senator David Mark, former Senate President and now Chairman of the coalition, saying:
“I heard David Mark say they want to rescue Nigeria. That Nigerians are not happy. But the man was Senate President for eight years, and Nigerians were happy?
“There was no single project in Otukpo. Not one. He was flying with a helicopter to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, but they are angry now?”
Wike also reminded the public that under Mark’s leadership in Benue South, the PDP lost influence, with his daughter contesting and winning a House of Representatives seat under the APC.
“As the PDP leader in his area, he lost the election to his own daughter who ran under APC,” Wike added.
On former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Wike accused him of plunging Nigeria into unsustainable debt.
“Amaechi was minister. He took Chinese loans and made Nigeria so indebted to China. So, Nigerians were happy then?” he asked rhetorically.
Wike went further, lambasting other members of the coalition:
“When you were in power, Nigerians were happy, but the moment you are no longer in power, Nigerians are no longer happy? I saw Sirika. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then?
“When they went to APC in 2013 and took over power, Nigerians were happy, but no longer happy today?”
He defended President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it inherited most of Nigeria’s challenges. “Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? What is he doing? To solve the problems he met,” he stated.
Turning to former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, Wike dismissed a recent statement by him as “shameful,” questioning what tangible efforts he made to address the nation’s insecurity during his tenure.
“He was AGF. What did he do? What was his contribution to resolving the security challenges?” he said.
Also mentioned was former Speaker and ex-Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. “Tambuwal was Speaker for four years. What did he do to make Nigerians not be angry?
He was governor for eight years. What did he do? What kind of politics are we playing?” Wike asked.
He concluded by saying that Bolaji Abdullahi, former Minister of Sports, only joined the ADC because of a fallout with his political godfather, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Wike affirmed his belief that only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if united, can stand as a credible alternative to the current administration.
“The only party that can still challenge Tinubu is the PDP, if they can put their house in order,” he stated.