Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has refuted claims of a disagreement with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, clarifying that his absence from last week’s Council of State meeting was due to previously scheduled official duties.
Speculation had emerged that Wike deliberately stayed away from the meeting following reports that President Tinubu declined his alleged nominee for the role of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The president reportedly submitted Professor Joash Amupitan’s name for confirmation, while Wike was said to have supported Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman.
Addressing the matter on Tuesday during the commissioning of access roads in the Dakibiyu District of Abuja, Wike stated that he had communicated his unavailability to the president ahead of the meeting and had asked the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, to attend in his place.
“Sometime last week, Thursday, we had a flag-off ceremony, and I told the Minister of State, FCT, to represent me at the Council of State meeting. I had already told Mr President that I would not be available because of other engagements we had already put in place,” Wike said.
He dismissed the reports as baseless and misleading, labeling them as politically motivated attempts to stir controversy.
“That is why we have to be careful when people carry unnecessary propaganda and blackmail. But in spite of those things, be focused and you will achieve your results. They said I did not attend because I was not happy that my own nominee was not taken,” he added.
