Minister Wike Describes “Rescue Nigeria” Claim by Opposition Parties as Selfish

By Toffa Momoh, Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has strongly dismissed the recent coalition movement by opposition political parties, asserting that their agenda was driven by selfish ambition rather than a genuine desire to rescue Nigeria.

Speaking on the successful completion of projects commissioning in the FCT by President Bola Tinubu to mark the President’s second year in office, Wike challenged the opposition’s narrative.

“They want to rescue their stomach, not Nigeria,” Wike declared, debunking claims that the opposition aims to save the nation. He further stated that Nigerians’ anger is directed not at the current administration, but at the opposition for their past failures to deliver democratic dividends.

The Minister dared the opposition to present their scorecards, questioning their inconsistent political allegiances: “How can Nigerians not be angry with you? In 1999, you were in another party, in 2006, you moved to another party, in 2014, you moved to another party. In 2019, you moved back to another party. Now, in 2025, you are moving to another party to rescue who? You want to rescue your stomach. It’s not Nigeria you want to rescue. So let us tell ourselves the simple truth”.

Wike highlighted what he described as the ‘opposition’s hypocrisy’, noting their silence on national issues when they held power. “People had the opportunity to be in government for several years; people had the opportunity to bring infrastructure to their States; they didn’t do it. At that time, Nigerians were not angry. It is now that they are not in office that Nigerians are angry”, he observed. He cited examples such as the bombing of trains during previous administrations and the accumulation of national debt without commensurate development.

He reiterated reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to good governance, citing positive changes already brought about, including the transparent handling of oil subsidy removal, which has significantly increased monthly allocations to states. He also pointed to progressive reforms within the FCT under President Tinubu’s leadership, such as the appointment of dedicated workers as Permanent Secretaries, the withdrawal of the FCTA from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to boost infrastructure funding, and the successful rehabilitation of the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre, which has led to an increase in revenue for the FCTA.

Urging Nigerians to be discerning, the Minister appealed to the church to continue praying for President Tinubu and his cabinet, emphasizing that overcoming years of national challenges required patience and bold decisions. He expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity to contribute to national growth, acknowledging the competent team assembled under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.