SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has said he would appoint FCT Minister Nyesom Wike into his government if given the opportunity, but with one unusual condition that he would put “a little tape” over the minister’s mouth to control his public comments. Adebayo made the statement during an interview with Symfoni while assessing the Tinubu […]
SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has said he would appoint FCT Minister Nyesom Wike into his government if given the opportunity, but with one unusual condition that he would put “a little tape” over the minister’s mouth to control his public comments.
Adebayo made the statement during an interview with Symfoni while assessing the Tinubu administration and discussing Wike’s performance, political conduct and the recent Osun State election.
Although he strongly disagreed with Wike’s style of political communication, Adebayo said he respected the minister’s ability to work and credited him with delivering significant infrastructure projects in the Federal Capital Territory.
“I respect Wike for one thing: that he has a good work ethic. He can work,” the SDP candidate said, adding that several previous FCT ministers had achieved considerably less in terms of visible development.
Adebayo, however, raised questions about the value of some contracts executed under Wike, suggesting that some may have been inflated. Despite this, he maintained that residents could see the results of the minister’s activities across Abuja.
He said his experience as an FCT resident showed that movement around the capital had become easier in some areas because of the infrastructure projects being carried out under Wike.
The presidential candidate nevertheless described Wike as a “bad example for Nigerian politics,” particularly because of what he regarded as the minister’s approach to force, power and political confrontation.
Adebayo said political power was temporary and expressed hope that Wike would eventually understand the importance of restraint and civilised political engagement.
He also criticised the media for repeatedly giving Wike platforms to speak on issues outside his official responsibilities. According to Adebayo, excessive media attention had contributed to making the minister’s public statements appear like political entertainment rather than responsible official communication.
Adebayo advised Wike to focus on his duties as FCT minister and, where necessary, support President Bola Tinubu privately instead of engaging in what he described as public theatrics.
He warned that such behaviour could influence young Nigerians to believe that forceful language and intimidation were acceptable tools in democratic politics.
“If I was in my own government, I can appoint Wike, but I’ll put a little tape in his mouth,” Adebayo said, while still describing the FCT minister as the number-one performing minister under Tinubu because of his ability to deliver projects.
On the Tinubu administration generally, Adebayo accused the government of presenting a misleading picture of the economy through increased revenue figures without sufficiently considering the loss of purchasing power suffered by Nigerians.
He also criticised the leadership of the Nigeria Revenue Service, accusing its chairman of giving Nigerians an overly positive impression of increased FAAC allocations while ignoring the effects of inflation and reduced purchasing power.
Speaking about the Osun election, Adebayo said President Tinubu demonstrated political skill in handling an internal APC disagreement but disagreed with the claim that the election represented a clear demonstration of democratic restraint.
He also condemned the loss of lives linked to the election and criticised the involvement of several governors, describing their conduct as thuggish and inappropriate for public office holders.
Adebayo urged governors and other political leaders to remember that their actions could influence younger Nigerians, stressing that competence in government should always be accompanied by restraint and respect for democratic principles.