You can’t determine which organisation is illegal – Atiku’s aide tells Wike

Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has castigated FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for threatening to revoke the property titles of any hotel or event centre that allows their premises to be used by illegal organisations.

The minister had issued the warning through a Friday statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

Olayinka had claimed the directive was part of efforts to strengthen security in the nation’s capital and support ongoing operations by security agencies to safeguard lives and property.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the directive was targeted at A Class Event Centre in Abuja, where the party intended to host its planned presidential candidate ratification ceremony for former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The party made the claim in a statement also issued on Friday by its Interim National Working Committee.

Reacting in a Facebook post, Ibe said the minister was arrogating to himself powers that belong to the courts.

He said, “Wike is in no position to determine whether an organisation is illegal or not.

“That responsibility rests squarely with the courts. Or does the FCT Minister think that his non-practising lawyer status and membership of the Body of Benchers now qualifies him as a Judge of the Impunity order?”