FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has launched a scathing attack on leaders of the newly formed opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Sunday.
He said their stated aim to ‘rescue Nigerians’ is merely a guise for their own self-serving ambitions.
Speaking at a thanksgiving service celebrating the completion of projects by the FCT administration, Wike declared that Nigerians are deeply disgruntled with figures who failed to deliver while holding past public offices.
Wike sharply criticised the perceived inconsistency of some opposition leaders.
He questioned why Nigerians would not be angry with those who formed the coalition.
“In 1999, you were with this party. In 2006 and 2014, you switched to another party. In 2019, you returned to a different party. Now, in 2025, you’ve moved to yet another party? To rescue whom? You intend to rescue your own pockets; it’s not Nigerians you wish to rescue.”
He specifically mentioned Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, stating that some Nigerians sympathise with him without truly understanding his character.
Wike added that many Nigerians believe Obi would perform well in office, yet during his eight-year tenure as governor, he never conducted a single local government election.
“Is that what you call democracy? You alone were the governor and chairman of the local governments.”
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Wike extended his critique to other unnamed figures, questioning their current calls for national rescue.
“Ask yourself a question. Just ask yourself. I was a Senate President for eight years, for example, and I cannot provide a road to my local government, Otukpo, and I will fly a helicopter to Otukpo — eight years! It is now you claim you want to rescue Nigeria. Which Nigeria do you want to rescue?”
He added that some members of the ADC served as Speakers, Governors, and Ministers for eight years without recognising the anger of Nigerians, yet they now claim to have realised it within just two years.
“It’s only these two years they’ve been out of office that you’re telling Nigerians they are angry. Why wouldn’t they be angry? Why wouldn’t they be angry when, in eight years as Minister of Transportation, you borrowed so much money from China, making us highly indebted? You have mortgaged the future of Nigerians. You say Nigerians are angry; they are angry with you.”
The Minister also accused a member of the ADC, who previously served as Attorney General of the Federation, of overseeing an era when Nigeria consistently paid judgment debts.
According to him, during that individual’s tenure, Nigeria repeatedly made headlines for corruption-related issues.
He further criticised former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who once claimed he was committed to rescuing Nigeria.
The Minister pointed out that under Aregbesola’s leadership, Nigerians faced long delays—sometimes waiting weeks, months, or even years—to obtain an international passport.
He urged Aregbesola to compare his performance to that of Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the current Minister of Interior, under whom Nigerians can now secure their passports within hours.
Wike urged Christians to exercise patience with President Tinubu’s administration and to offer prayers for its success, rather than being swayed by ‘people who have squandered their opportunities to set Nigeria right.’
He said, “They won’t have the chance again. They cannot bear to be out of power. Unfortunately, they are out; they won’t return.”
The opposition coalition, which has adopted ADC as its political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections, includes prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Obi, former Aregbesola, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Senate President David Mark.
