FCT Minister Nyesom Wike sparked controversy during an Abuja media chat on Friday, claiming he “would have shot” Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye through the screen over the journalist’s commentary.
Wike’s outburst was a reaction to Okinbaloye’s suggestion that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party state—a remark made during a broadcast of Politics Today.
The programme had been dissecting the ongoing leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
This follows a recent announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it will no longer recognize the factions led by David Mark or Nafiu Bala Gombe, citing a pivotal Court of Appeal judgment.
But the Mark-led faction rejected INEC’s interpretation of the appellate court ruling, accusing the electoral body of acting under external pressure.
Persecondnews recalls Okinbaloye speaking during his programme, Politics Today, on Thursday that he was pained that the 2027 elections were looking like a contest of one political party owing to the crisis in the ADC.
He had said Nigeria was doomed democratically if the only hope of opposition — ADC — cannot contest the 2027 election.
“I’m particularly very pained because what makes the race very interesting is when it’s competitive and not when only one party stands in the middle of the ballot and we are looking for the rest of the political parties,” Okinbaloye said.
‘But we get one of them talking tonight about the state of ADC, particularly, it looks like one of the only hopes of the opposition going into 2027. If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically speaking.”
However, during his media chat, Wike said Okinbaloye’s comment showed that he is taking sides in the crisis rocking the ADC.
“I was surprised yesterday, thoroughly surprised. When I was watching Politics Today, Seun. If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” the FCT minister said.
“In fact, it will get to him. How can you as an interviewer say we cannot have only one party? You are an interviewer; you are now telling them your own views.
“There is nothing wrong with asking your interviewee questions. But you are now the one on national television making that kind of statement, which means you have already taken a position.”
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