By Abdul Lauya
President Bola Tinubu has reportedly intervened to halt the controversial sealing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in a move widely seen as a rebuke of ministerial overreach.
The action by Wike, targeting Nigeria’s foremost opposition party on grounds of alleged statutory defaults, sparked public outrage and political backlash amid growing concerns over abuse of office.
While the enforcement of development control laws remains a legitimate function of the FCT Administration, critics argue that Wike’s pattern of selective implementation reveals a deeper agenda rooted in vendetta and political sabotage.
Since assuming office as FCT Minister, Wike has attracted more attention for his combative rhetoric, partisan theatrics, and visible disdain for opposition strongholds than for meaningful urban reform.
Observers note that Wike’s tenure has been marked by a pattern of targeting political foes under the guise of governance, effectively weaponizing public office for personal and factional gains.
His relentless hostility toward the PDP, his own party until recently, has not only fractured its internal unity but also weakened its capacity to function as a credible opposition.
By undermining PDP structures from within and aligning with the ruling APC without formally defecting, Wike has effectively served as a political double agent, destabilizing democratic balance.
Many view Wike’s posture as a reflection of unchecked ambition and a craving for relevance, using the Abuja stage to sustain political dominance following his failed bid for national leadership within PDP.
With President Tinubu’s move to curtail Wike’s excesses, it signals an acknowledgment that the minister’s actions may be causing more damage than value within the administration.
Political analysts say this may be the first serious attempt by the presidency to recalibrate its cabinet narrative and restore decorum in a portfolio increasingly seen as rogue and self-serving.
The symbolism of Tinubu’s intervention also reassures a weary public that executive power remains centralized, countering growing fears that Wike was operating as a co-president with a personal fiefdom.
As Nigeria battles economic hardship and social discontent, the last thing it needs is ministerial brinkmanship fanning the embers of division and authoritarianism.
Wike’s future in the cabinet may now depend on whether he embraces the humility of public service or continues to gamble with the credibility of an administration he seems to challenge from within.
