A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and federal lawmaker, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has cautioned aggrieved APC governors against publicly attacking or embarrassing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Jibrin argued that members of the ruling party had, directly or indirectly, benefited from Wike’s contributions to the efforts that helped deliver President Bola Tinubu.
The former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation made the remarks on Wednesday night during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the FCT minister amid growing criticism from some APC governors.
Describing Wike as an important contributor to the APC’s political fortunes, the Kano lawmaker said: “There is no APC member in Nigeria today that has not directly or indirectly benefited from the efforts of Wike, so long as delivering the President, also managing the government, also performing his work, there is nobody.”
Jibrin also highlighted what he described as the sacrifices made by Wike in support of the ruling party, saying: “Wike is an asset to APC, he has sacrificed so much for the President and the APC. I don’t think Wike should be embarrassed at this moment with public statements.”
His comments followed recent criticisms of Wike by some APC governors, particularly Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The governors have questioned Wike’s move to promote a national rainbow coalition in support of Tinubu while continuing to retain his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking about Wike’s contribution to the APC, Jibrin said the FCT minister had made significant political concessions for the benefit of the ruling party.
“Wike has sacrificed, he handed over Rivers to APC, Wike had candidates in the FCT Council election but asked them to step down for APC. Wike came into this government as government of national unity. In reality, we should be fair to him; he has done far more than that,” he said.
Jibrin explained that his intervention was not motivated by a close personal relationship with Wike but by his concern about maintaining stability around Tinubu’s second-term bid.
He disclosed that he had only encountered the FCT minister twice, saying: “As I talk to you, before the only God I worship, I don’t know Wike but he knows me from afar and I know him from afar. If I see him, I know he is Wike and if he sees me he will know I am Honourable Jibrin, I have met him just twice accidentally, so I am not holding any brief for Wike, but I think anything that is going to touch on the stability of the journey towards delivering the President I like to make my intervention,” he explained.
The lawmaker also noted that political cooperation between members of different parties was not unusual, pointing out that Wike was not the only opposition figure working with members of the APC.
“There are people who are in other parties, who are working with us in the NDC, in the ADC. Some of them called me yesterday, saying, ‘Look at what they are saying about Wike,’” he said.
Jibrin further pointed to the APC’s performance in the most recent FCT Area Council elections, noting that the party won five of the six councils. He argued that electoral politics ultimately revolves around securing numbers and winning elections.
He therefore called on APC governors to work with Wike instead of isolating him, urging them to address any disagreements with the minister through direct dialogue rather than public exchanges.
He said, “For the governors, they should take Wike as part of them; you call Wike the number 32 governor and Adeleke number 33 governor of the APC. If there is problem at the state level, the entire coalition that he is doing is for the President, if anybody at the subnational level feels it may work against him or his interest, they should discuss with Wike, but I do not think Wike should be embarrassed with statements.
