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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sanction Rotimi Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, over his remarks about President Bola Tinubu and his supporters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the call on Friday in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils and security operatives. He questioned why INEC had yet to call Amaechi to order over comments he described as personal attacks rather than issue-based political campaigning.
“Many Nigerians have called INEC to sanction political parties and candidates or some politicians who, in their campaigns, incite the public or raise matters that are not issue-based,” Wike said.
He challenged the media to hold opposition politicians accountable for their campaign statements, arguing that political actors should be questioned over what he described as insults against the President and his supporters.
The FCT minister also questioned Amaechi’s record as governor of Rivers State, raising concerns over a reported $10 million fumigation contract, the state’s ₦68 billion monorail project and the sale of a state-owned gas turbine for $308 million.
“I challenge him. Ask him the $10 million you paid to a Cuban company to fumigate Rivers State so there will be no mosquito bite. Up till now, mosquitoes have been biting Rivers people, including myself,” Wike said.
He also demanded explanations over the monorail project and the circumstances surrounding the sale of the gas turbine, challenging Amaechi to account for the projects and transactions. Wike did not present supporting documents for the allegations in the remarks reported.
Wike warned that Amaechi could face difficulties campaigning in Rivers State if he continued to attack Tinubu and his supporters.
“If he continues along this line, it may be difficult for him to campaign in Rivers. And I want somebody to go and write it down. Because we will not take that. We will not,” he said.
On the strike declared by the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Wike described the action as politically motivated, insisting that the FCT Administration had met its obligations to local government workers and teachers.
He announced the immediate enforcement of a “no work, no pay” policy across the Area Councils, maintaining that there was no justification for the industrial action. He also said major education bodies, including the Universal Basic Education Board, had distanced themselves from the strike.
Wike alleged that FCT NLC chairman Stephen Knabayi had political interests linked to the ADC, accusing him of using the strike to create a political crisis for the administration. He urged labour leaders involved in partisan politics to relinquish their union leadership positions to prevent conflicts of interest.
The minister also ordered the removal of unapproved beer parlours along the Guzape-Asokoro axis, warning that they could become security liabilities if allowed to operate without authorisation.
