A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has thrown his weight behind the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over Tuesday’s confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja, describing the officer’s behaviour as “horrible” and “representing evil.”
In a post shared on his social media page, Igbokwe said the incident, which occurred at a disputed land site in the Gaduwa District, reflected the deep-seated rot and sense of entitlement surrounding land ownership in the nation’s capital.
He wrote, “What this small boy displayed today has a million meanings. What frightens me is the reactions here.
I have been reading what some people are saying here and I get more frightened. Who sent the small boy on this horrible mission? Of what meat is he fed?
“I am running away with the thinking that those lands were stolen. Take him out of the military asap.
He represents evil. He was not well brought up. His so-called bravery is arrant nonsense, full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Take him out. He represents evil.”
The APC stalwart alleged that some powerful individuals who had benefitted from questionable land allocations in Abuja were uncomfortable with Wike’s ongoing reforms at the FCT Ministry.
He said, “I bet you some people who stole Nigeria to bones in Abuja will not like HE Wike. Shameless land grabbers who see Abuja as their father’s property will not like him.
Appointment bandits and free money chasers will not like him.”
Igbokwe further noted that Wike’s appointment as FCT Minister marked a significant break from decades of northern dominance in that position.
“I am aware that no Southerner has been FCT minister since 1990 when the capital was moved to Abuja. For more than 30 years, the FCT minister has always come from the North.
In 2023, Wike became the FCT minister and hell was let loose,” he added.
Calling for a full investigation into the incident, Igbokwe questioned the ownership of the disputed land and the motives behind the officer’s confrontation with the minister.
“Who is the owner of the land in question? Why did he not go there himself to confront HE Wike? Was the land acquired through due process? This matter should be thoroughly investigated. Let the owner show face,” he said.
The confrontation between Wike and the naval officer, which has gone viral on social media, has continued to stir heated debate nationwide, drawing mixed reactions from political figures, security experts, and Nigerians.
Wike, in his reaction, maintained that he would not succumb to blackmail or intimidation in the course of discharging his duties as FCT Minister.