The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that the promoters of the coalition against President Bola Tinubu are only desperate with no desire to build Nigeria.
According to the former Rivers State governor, in a media chat on Thursday in Abuja, the coalition is a hoax that won’t stand against Tinubu in 2027.
Wike also accused some of the leaders of the coalition under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after they failed to hijack the leadership of the opposition party.
Wike also warned against the coalition which has Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi and former Senate President David Mark as its forerunners.
“Nigerians need to be careful of this group of Nigerians who are angry because they left power.
“Nigerians know everybody. For how long would you continue to deceive them? Who would want to give listening ears to these kind of people?” he stated.
Wike blasted members of the coalition over their claims that Nigerians are hungry, saying they were once in government but did nothing to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
The minister said, “I heard David Mark say, to rescue Nigeria; Nigerians are angry. David Mark was senate president for how many terms? Two terms, is it not? Nigerians were happy. Nigerians were happy when he was senate president for eight years. And there was no single project in Otukpo; not one. He was flying with helicopter to go to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, Nigerians are only angry now.
“When Rotimi Amaechi was minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Chinese loan, Nigerians were happy. It’s now Nigerians are angry. I saw Hadi (Dickson). They are saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria. So I’m asking this simple question. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.
“When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry? You were a governor in Sokoto State.”
The minister noted that he would only accept that Nigerians are angry when those who have not been in power say so.
“When you want to go to power, tell us. If there are people who have not been in power in this country, who are coming with such an idea, I can listen to them. But not people who were the ones at the helms of affairs of this country for how many years? Look at where this country is. If this President did not take certain decisions he has taken, which may be very challenging, you would have known where we would have been by now.
“A president came and said it’s a scam; took that bold step, we will not allow that. States are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that states are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that we are providing infrastructure in Abuja. I cannot say that there are no challenges. There are challenges. But for Christ’s sake, stop using Nigerians.”
