Wike, Officer Yerima And The Show Of Power -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

The trending story on the Nigerian media space currently is that of the face-off between Wike, the FCT Minister and a young naval officer assigned to guard a piece of land belonging to his boss, the former Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo. The whole thing was a show of shame with Nyesom Wike openly downgrading his office as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory. As I watched the video footage of the incident, I was outraged as watched Wike bandy words with a young man who is young enough to be his son, making the officer an instant hero. Many are gloating that the lion of the FCT has been tamed by young military green horn.

There is no doubt that many FCT residents are aghast at the conduct of the man appointed to oversee the affairs of the nation’s capital. Wike’s conduct leaves much to be desired. Wike braggadocio attitude is always reflected in whatever he does. In his quest to be noticed, he plays to the gallery. Performers are hardly loud and are never flippant and reckless like Wike; their works speak for them. Wike’s notice-me-I’m-working tendencies makes him act with impunity and without decorum. A minister of his rank should observe official etiquette and avoid acts that will bring his office and the government that he represents into disrepute. As lawyer and a leader representing a people, he is expected to carry himself with dignity not like a tout at Obiakpor Motor Park. Yes, as the FCT minister, he has the right to inspect landed properties within the FCT but he has no right to forcibly enter into any property without due process. Wike is not a law enforcement officer neither is he a court bailiff. Did Wike expect the officer on guard duty to disobey the order from his superiors and obey his? Only a man drunk with power will expect that.

FCT residents and many people across the nation are mocking Wike not because the young officer that had altercations with him is wholly right, but because the “almighty” Wike who carries himself as the lord of the manor has been demystified. Since Wike came in as the FCT minister, he has been going around flexing muscles: harassing and intimidating those perceived to be his political opponents. While he pretends to be restoring sanity in the FCT, he oversteps his bounds: some buildings with approvals are being pulled down for flimsy reasons and properties with official papers are revoked, reacquired and reallocated to his cronies, family members and associates. Sahara reporters reported that about 30 hectares of land belonging to military officers have been revoked and acquired by Wike and reallocated to his cronies including the current Independent National Electoral Commission chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan. Nyesom Wike is alleged to be more interested in land-grabbing and acquisition than attending to the needs of the FCT residents.

Meanwhile, there are allegations about corruption and inflation of contracts leveled against him as reported in the media. Unfortunately, while Nigerians lament Wike overbearing conduct, some favor-seekers and political contractors are busy sponsoring media adverts about Wike’s so-called performance even when he has not made a significant contribution to the development of the nation’s capital. When you see the bill boards along FCT highways advertising Wike’s fabled projects, you will think that he is the one that designed and built Abuja.

As I noted elsewhere, Wike obviously did not come to FCT for service. He came for personal aggrandizement and to flex muscles. He has been trying his weight around with one leg in FCT and another in Rivers State that he desperately wants to govern by proxy. He is also the undertaker hired to destroy the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) that brought him to limelight.

Save for the sponsored noise in the media, Wike’s impact in the FCT is insignificant. The security situation in the FCT is becoming a cause for concern for the residents. Kidnapping, robbery and others crimes are growing by day according to police records. Armed touts who claim to be making returns to those at the top are openly harassing motorist and passengers in FCT roads unhindered.

The FCT has inadequate social facilities, the standard expected of a capital city like ours. The only existing facilities were the ones built by the past governments. There is no efficient public transport system. The health care system is in shambles. The school system is lacking learning is inadequately equipped. Wike obviously has not done much other than completing few road projects initiated during the botched Jonathan era. He has no program to develop the FCT. He is distracted by his primitive accumulation tendencies and his lust for power. People with this kind of motives are not performers.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK