Human rights lawyer and legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to put an immediate stop to the monthly media briefings held by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Ejiofor described the media appearances as “extravagant and unnecessary,” accusing the FCT Minister of wasting public resources while offering no tangible benefit to Nigerians.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Ejiofor criticised the media events as a costly platform for Wike’s self-promotion at a time when Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship.
“As millions of Nigerians battle record inflation, stagnant wages, and deepening poverty, it is unconscionable that the minister of the federal capital territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly spends hundreds of millions of naira monthly on an ostentatious media chat – an exercise that offers little substance and reeks of misplaced priorities,” Ejiofor said.
He argued that the monthly engagements, which are portrayed as public communications, do not serve the public interest and reflect poor judgment in the face of nationwide economic strain. “Framed as a public engagement, this monthly spectacle is anything but a tone-deaf misuse of public funds – especially in a country where many survive on less than $2 a day, and access to basic healthcare, education, and shelter remains a daily struggle,” he added.
Ejiofor stressed that the resources spent on a single edition of Wike’s media chat could be redirected toward urgent humanitarian and public service needs.
“To illustrate the waste: the cost of one media edition could fund emergency relief and shelter for thousands displaced by the recent floods in Niger state,” he said.
“It could refurbish crumbling primary schools, equip rural clinics, or sustain nutrition programmes in IDP camps for several months.”
He further criticised the optics of the initiative, noting that it presents a troubling image of governance. “Nigerians are not asking for a televised circus – Nigerians are crying out for competent governance, prudent spending, and people-centred leadership,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Ejiofor urged President Tinubu to take decisive action. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must take urgent action: call the FCT minister to order, halt this wasteful spending, and redirect focus to service delivery. This is not a time for flamboyance and fanfare. It is a moment that demands humility, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. Nigeria deserves better. The time to act is now,” he said.
