Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he wanted to shoot Seun Okinbaloye, a journalist with Channels Television, over the latter’s comment on the tendency of Nigeria becoming a one-party state.
Wike spoke on Friday during a media chat in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today programme focused on the leadership crisis in ADC and the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On Wednesday, INEC had announced that it would no longer recognise the factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark or Nafiu Bala Gombe, following its review of the court of appeal judgement.
INEC said it would strictly abide by the orders of the court of appeal in handling the leadership dispute within the ADC.
But the Mark-led faction rejected INEC’s interpretation of the appellate court ruling, accusing the electoral body of acting under external pressure.
Speaking on his show, Okinbaloye said it was disappointing that the 2027 elections were shaping up as a contest between one political party, owing to the crisis in the ADC.
He added that Nigeria is doomed democratically if the only hope of opposition — ADC — cannot contest the 2027 elections.
“I’m particularly very pained because what makes the race very interesting is when it’s competitive and not when only one party stands in the middle of the ballot and we are looking for the rest of the political parties,” Okinbaloye said.
“But we get one of them talking tonight about the state of ADC, particularly, it looks like one of the only hopes of the opposition going into 2027. If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically speaking.”
Reacting during his media chat, Wike accused Okinbaloye of taking sides in the crisis rocking the ADC.
“I was surprised yesterday, thoroughly surprised. When I was watching Politics Today, Seun. If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” the FCT minister said.
“How can you, as an interviewer, say we cannot have only one party? You are an interviewer; you are now telling them your own views.
“There is nothing wrong with asking your interviewee questions. But you are now the one on national television making that kind of statement, which means you have already taken a position.”
