Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Nyesom Wike, has denied a report that claimed he was barred from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa due to being drunk.

The report, which was made by independent journalist Jackson Ude, alleged that Wike was intoxicated when he received the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday.

Reacting, Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, said the minister was directed by President Bola Tinubu to receive the Indian Prime Minister and lead him to his hotel. Olayinka stated that Wike performed his duty as instructed and was not barred from the Presidential Villa.

He said, “Fact is, the FCT Minister led the Prime Minister to his hotel from the Airport, and it was from the hotel that he (Wike) led the Prime Minister to the Presidential Villa on Sunday morning, where his duty ended.

“Up till now, Jackson Ude is still spinning lies to defend his initial lies. But for us who know his antecedents, we will not dignify him henceforth.

After all, this same Jackson Ude said in many tweets that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, had fled Nigeria, through Niger Republic. He even accused the Minister of State of Defense, Bello Matawalle, of helping Yahaya Bello to escape to the Niger Republic.

“However, the same Yahaya Bello that Jackson Ude said had fled Nigeria showed up at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on September 18, 2024.

“How the same man Jackson Ude claimed ‘Matawalle mobilized eight military personnel to escort to Niger Republic via Kebbi State, through the border town of lllela, in two dark-tinted Hilux pickups and a Land Cruiser’ was at the EFCC office on September 18, he (Ude) has not explained.

“Rather, he has jumped to peddling other lies against high-profile Nigerians, the latest being the FCT Minister. As usual, now that we have released pictures of the FCT Minister in his hotel with the Indian Prime Minister on Saturday and on Sunday morning at the Presidential Villa, Jackson Ude, will try to spin more lies to defend his initial lies. But like I have said, we won’t be bothered.”

During the visit to the country, Modi was conferred the country’s second highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) by President Tinubu.

The President also held Nigeria-India bilateral relationship discussion with Mr Modi at the Presidential Villa.

An unconfirmed report has stated that Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has reportedly been banned from entering Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power, after allegedly causing an embarrassing scene during the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

According to Jackson Ude, a Nigerian investigative journalist based in the United States, Wike appeared to be intoxicated when he met with Prime Minister Modi at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The visit, intended to foster diplomatic relations between Nigeria and India, took a surprising turn as the minister reportedly exhibited behavior that left Modi uncomfortable.

In a social media post, Ude claimed that Wike arrived at the airport “oozing from alcohol” and slurring his words. Wike had been assigned to welcome the Indian leader with the ceremonial Abuja City Key, a symbol of hospitality and honor.

After formally handing the key to Modi and posing for photos, Ude stated that Wike attempted to engage Modi in conversation, reportedly stumbling over his words in the process.

Eyewitnesses described the atmosphere as tense, as both Nigerian and Indian security officials observed Modi’s visible discomfort. Security personnel reportedly intervened, swiftly escorting the Indian Prime Minister away from Wike as he continued to follow him toward the convoy.

According to Ude’s report, the situation quickly reached Aso Rock, where top officials allegedly issued orders to bar Wike from accessing the presidential villa during Modi’s stay.

The alleged incident has sparked mixed reactions across Nigeria, with some citizens expressing disappointment at the perceived lack of professionalism, while others have called for a more thorough investigation before drawing conclusions. As of now, Wike has not publicly commented on the report.

The office of the President has yet to release an official statement on the matter, and it remains unclear whether the reported ban is temporary or if any disciplinary actions will be taken.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on claims made by Jackson Ude, Editor-in-Chief of Pointblanknews. The story has not been independently verified.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed the immediate payment of N70,000, the new minimum wage, for all administration staff.

The move comes after President Bola Tinubu signed the new Minimum Wage Bill into law in May 2024, following months of negotiation with organized labour.

The approval was announced in a statement signed by Anthony Odeh, Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, and made available to journalists on Tuesday.

According to the statement, Wike approved the payment of the minimum wage on Monday, November 18, 2024, to alleviate the plight of workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

The Acting Head of Civil Service of FCT, Mrs Grace Adayilo, disclosed that the minister also approved for payment of three months’ arrears for all staff of the administration with effect from November 2024.

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed frustration with Nigeria’s existing procurement law, which he claims is a major hindrance to the swift execution of critical infrastructure projects in Abuja.

Wike raised these concerns during the official launch of the Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) development from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III in Abuja on Friday.

Describing the law as “our major headache,” Wike explained how the current regulatory framework slows down approvals for project procurements, sometimes stretching the process for up to four months.

“Yes, [the procurement law] is to protect and make sure our money is safe,” Wike remarked, “but then, if you look at the overall situation, it drags us backwards.”

Wike argued that amending the procurement law could reduce these bureaucratic delays and enable more efficient project management across the capital.

He cited his experience as governor, where he successfully amended similar laws to expedite projects with contractor Julius Berger, achieving a significant 70% upfront payment to speed up work.

“That’s how we were able to complete 12 flyovers in four years,” he said.

The minister further expressed gratitude for President Bola Tinubu’s support, noting that the president’s backing has been crucial for advancing infrastructure development in the FCT.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hinted at disciplining Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over alleged anti-party activities.

According to Umar Sani, Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former Vice President Namadi Sambo, the party’s disciplinary committee, led by Chief Tom Ikimi, may sanction Wike for violating party rules.

Sani said that Wike is not above the party and that the recent formation of the disciplinary committee will address his alleged infractions.

“The issue has been oversimplified, with many framing it as a clash between Abubakar Atiku and Nyesom Wike,” Sani stated on Arise TV’s Morning Show. “But the real driving force is the Governors’ Forum, which had been dormant but has now awakened. The Forum is actively working to resolve the crisis.”

While a court order may prevent the removal of officials, Sani noted that it does not stop the party from suspending members or imposing discipline.

Recall that in September, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, that Wike has been summoned to face allegations of anti-party activities.

Abdullahi stated that Wike was summoned in a letter to appear before the Tom Ikimi-led PDP disciplinary committee.

He said, “Three weeks ago, we put up two committees in place, that of reconciliation and disciplinary, and Nyesom Wike is one of the persons to face the disciplinary committee, which is headed by elder statesman Chief Tom Ikimi.

“The disciplinary committee will look into issues of anti-party activities. We’ve been receiving petitions regarding anti-party activities or sabotaging the party throughout the primary, leading to where we are now. These petitions against Wike and other party members have been aggregated and sent to the committee.

“Some party members even felt that Wike shouldn’t have gotten to this level still as a member of the PDP and they have been writing to the leadership.”