The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that Nigeria was in a very bad condition before President Bola Tinubu took over. According to him, the country was almost “dead” and needs tough choices and patience to recover.
Wike made this statement on Sunday, July 6, during a thanksgiving service held at Saint James’ Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja. The event was organised to celebrate the launch of 16 new projects in the FCT. He admitted that Nigeria still has many problems but believes the current administration is taking the right steps to fix them.
“The country was dead. It takes hard decisions to bring it back to life,” Wike said.
“We are aware that we have challenges. But after just two years of a country that had been run down, we expect a miracle worker? It’s not like a prayer where you say, ‘In the name of God, you are healed,’ and it happens instantly. It doesn’t work that way.”
He also warned church leaders and Christians to be more careful in the future. Wike said that many of them nearly made a serious mistake in the 2023 elections by supporting Labour Party’s Peter Obi out of emotions instead of thinking deeply about the decision.
“Let me use this opportunity to address the Church — we nearly made the worst mistake in 2023. We must be very careful this time around. It would have been a decision that could have cost some of us our future,” Wike said.
“Ask us questions — we are politicians. Be careful about what we tell you. If you want to understand what’s really going on, call us. Don’t let people use propaganda to blackmail you. Some of you have sympathy for someone you don’t even know. That’s how you nearly made us make a mistake — saying Peter Obi was going to become president. President where?!”
According to Wike, the 2027 elections must be approached more wisely. He advised that the next presidential choice should be based on facts and records, not just feelings.
Wike didn’t stop there. He also criticised Peter Obi, saying that Obi doesn’t have a strong background in real democratic leadership. He questioned Obi’s political values and suggested that Nigerians should look beyond surface appearances.
“For eight years, he was governor. He never conducted local government elections. Never. Back then, Nigerians were not angry. They were happy that he refused to conduct elections for eight good years. And you call that democracy?Now you say democracy isn’t working — but it worked when he was running everything alone?”
He added:
“People who were in power for eight, even 20 years, had the opportunity to bring development to their states but didn’t. Back then, Nigerians were not angry. Now that they’re no longer in power, Nigerians are suddenly angry.
If I say I want to rescue Nigeria, ask me what I did when I had the opportunity. Ask me what I did as governor of Rivers State. I can say, ‘Yes, I did this and that.’ And now, as FCT Minister, I am doing this and that.”
