Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has criticized the coalition of politicians that recently took over the structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), branding them as “a gang of failed and expired politicians” with nothing new to offer the country.
Wike, speaking on Wednesday, openly criticized the political figures spearheading the movement, including former Senate President David Mark, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and ex-Governor Aminu Tambuwal, questioning their contributions to national development while in power.
“I heard David Mark say they want to rescue Nigeria. That Nigerians are not happy. But the man was Senate President for 8 years, and Nigerians were happy? There was no single project in Otukpo. Not one. He was flying with a helicopter to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, but they are angry now?” Wike asked pointedly.
He further accused Mark of failing to secure political relevance in his own region, noting that under his leadership as a PDP figure, he lost local elections. “As leader of the PDP in his area, he lost elections, as his daughter, who ran under the All Progressives Congress (APC), won to the House of Representatives,” he added.
Turning his attention to Amaechi, Wike said, “Amaechi was minister. He took Chinese loans and made Nigeria so indebted to China. So, Nigerians were happy then?
“When you were in power, Nigerians were happy, but the moment you are no longer in power, Nigerians are no longer happy.”
The minister also mocked former aviation minister Hadi Sirika over the controversial failure of the Nigeria Air project. “I saw Sirika. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then?”
He questioned the sincerity of the coalition’s narrative that Nigeria’s current challenges only began under President Bola Tinubu. “When they went to APC in 2013 and took over power, Nigerians were happy, but no longer happy today?
“Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? What is he doing? To solve the problems he met,” Wike asked.
Speaking about former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, Wike said, “I read what Malami wrote. It was so shameful. He was AGF. What did he do? What was his contribution to resolving the security challenges?”
He extended his criticism to Aminu Tambuwal, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and two-term governor of Sokoto State, questioning his legacy.
“Tambuwal was Speaker for four years. What did he do to make Nigerians not be angry? He was governor for eight years. What did he do? What kind of politics are we playing?” he queried.
Wike did not spare Bolaji Abdullahi, former Minister of Youth and Sports, either. He accused him of joining the ADC simply because of political estrangement from his former ally, Senator Bukola Saraki. “The former sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, only moved to the ADC because he has fallen out with his godfather, Senator Bukola Saraki.”
Wike concluded by acknowledging that the only political platform with the potential to challenge President Tinubu is the PDP—if internal divisions can be resolved.
