The flippant and arrogant Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, appears to have lost his nauseating braggadocio following allegations of his monumental corrupt practices, as well as the rumoured move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s allies to terminate his appointment
By Our Correspondent
At present, Nyesom Wike is jittery. All his recent acts to play to the gallery using his performance record as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are viewed by many Nigerians as mere face saving tactics in the face of the current shame that is haunting him and his family.
The current reality with the former Rivers State governor is that he is apprehensive over the lack of knowledge of the fate that may befall him after it was revealed that he has been corruptly enriching himself and his family using alleged stolen public funds.
Before now Wike had remained the Nigerian Lord of the Manor and the maximum ruler of his home state of Rivers, having persuaded President Bola Tinubu to deploy executive fiat to illegally suspend democratic governance in the South south state for six months. Within the six months of Emergency Road administration in Rivers State, a charade local government council election was hurriedly packaged by the Sole Administrator Ibok-Ette Ibas to hand over the chairmanship of all the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state to Wike’s stooges, in defiance of the elected governor Siminalayi Fubara.
To taunt his critics to dishonour, Wike had established for himself a monthly media chat where he showcased his loquacious tendencies which became a mockery and an embarrassment to the government of Tinubu. By deploying the obnoxious media outings Wike had begun to ride roughshod on the entire country without anybody to tame his illicit behaviours or call him to order.
Many thanks to Omoyele Sowere, the social critic and activist who recently punctured the ballooning ego of Wike with numerous revelations of the latter’s alleged corrupt enrichment through outright stealing from the public till, land grabbing in Abuja and investment in the vexatious Florida, United States mansions for his three children worth over $6 million. More so, Wike had allegedly paid in cash for these mansions, an act that has fueled allegation of money laundering against the untouchable minister, these alleged misdeeds have rubbed mud on the face of the Tinubu government within the international community.
Upon these damning allegations, a United Kingdom(UK)-based digital forensic expert and investigator, Henry Omorere, had petitioned the Attorney General of Florida, US, Hon James Uthmeier against Wike and his family members over alleged money laundering and illicit acquisition of multi-million dollar mansions in the country.
The petitioner, Omorere, had also copied the Florida Supreme Court and the Director of Public Information Office alleging Wike’s involvement in multiple cases of money laundering, public corruption and violations of the US and Nigerian laws. Back home, Wike faces impending criminal charges of non-declaration of assets as a public office holder and other official misconducts, economic crimes and corrupt practices, by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) respectively.
Besides, Wike’s alleged thievery cases have been escalated by the recent inglorious resignation of Uche Nnaji from Tinubu government’s cabinet over allegations of certificate forgery, non-involvement in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as well as the forgery of the NYSC certificate.
Nnaji, until his resignation on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, was the substantive Minister of Science and Technology and Innovation who was embroiled in the alleged certificates forgery. Tinubu was said to have forced Nnaji to vacate the office, while Wike remains, though with a shaky certainty of retaining his position.
Upon Nnaji’s resignation, certain influential figures around President Tinubu were said to have cautioned him against the continuous retention of Wike in the cabinet. These, allegedly, warned Tinubu that the presence of the FCT Minister in his cabinet would continue to rubbish the government goodwill before the international community and would have dire consequences for the reelection of the President come 2027 presidential election.
Although credible sources within the presidency hinted that Tinubu has no intention of humiliating Wike further due to his role in 2023 in Rivers State which helped the president to win the state, President Tinubu, according to these sources, would have to choose between sacrificing Wike and shoring up his government’s local and international image.
President Tinubu seems to have chosen the latter option. The indication to this is the unconfirmed report that the President has ordered Wike to suspend his contentious monthly media briefing which he has used as an attack instrument against his perceived detractors. The order has since put Wike on scrutiny and check, forcing him to remain cold as though he has lost his voice. Sources said the once braggart minister is now likened to a fish out of the water.
