LMinister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, is attacking President Bola Tinubu because he was aggrieved over not being chosen as vice president in 2023.
Wike, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, disclosed that Lawal visited his Port Harcourt residence shortly after Tinubu named Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
“After President Tinubu chose Shettima as his VP, Babachir Lawal came to my house in Port Harcourt. He was angry because he thought the president would pick him as vice president,” Wike said.
The Minister’s revelation comes after Lawal, in a separate interview, had described the Tinubu administration as “unapproachable” and insisted that the President did not win the 2023 election.
But Wike dismissed such claims, stressing that governance cannot be reduced to direct access to the president.
“When you say Mr President is unapproachable, what do you mean? Government is about teamwork. If you have issues concerning the FCT, why not reach out to the FCT minister? Must everyone see the President directly?” he queried.
Wike also defended Tinubu’s reforms, admitting that Nigerians were enduring hard times but maintaining that sacrifices such as fuel subsidy removal were already showing signs of market adjustment.
“Petrol prices surged after subsidy removal, but they have started coming down a bit. You cannot say only those in rural areas are suffering. Even those in the cities feel the hardship. Every Nigerian is entitled to a good life,” he said.
The Minister further pointed to improved security, noting that foreign partners like the United States and the United Kingdom have commended Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations.
On opposition voices, Wike launched a scathing attack on his longtime political rival, former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of corruption and failed projects.
“He spent $30 million on Kalibu Heart Hospital. Where is the foundation? He spent N74 billion on the monorail. Where is it? Our gas provider worth $380 million, he sold it—where is the money? Even the courts confirmed he was indicted,” Wike alleged.
Wike also dismissed Amaechi’s 2027 presidential ambition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as unrealistic.
“He knows he won’t get the ticket. I read that he said he knows the weaknesses of the President, but he also knew them in 2022 when the President defeated him mercilessly at the primary. His ambition is dead on arrival,” Wike said.
Amaechi, who finished second in the 2022 APC primary behind Tinubu, recently defected to the ADC to pursue another presidential run.
