Thursday, May 14, 2026 - The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has defended his visit to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, saying the meeting was purely personal and should not be interpreted through a political lens.
Wike had visited Yilwatda at his residence in Abuja on
Tuesday.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday during an inspection
of ongoing road projects in Karu, Apo-Karshi and Kubwa, Wike dismissed
reactions trailing the visit, insisting that political differences should not
prevent cordial relationships among public officials.
“We were all colleagues before he left for the chairmanship
of the APC. So, what I should do anytime I see him is to hide? Anytime he sees
me, he should run away so people will not say something?” he queried.
The minister explained that the visit was a return gesture,
revealing that Yilwatda had earlier made several unsuccessful attempts to see
him at his office.
Wike also rejected criticism over the absence of an official
statement after the meeting, maintaining that he was not obligated to explain
his personal relationships or private interactions to the public.
The former Rivers State governor, who remains a member of
the Peoples Democratic Party despite serving in the cabinet of President Bola
Tinubu, said freedom of association should not be restricted by party
affiliations.
He warned against reading political motives into ordinary
social engagements, stressing that his focus remains on governance and service
delivery in the Federal Capital Territory.
“What’s important to me is what I’m doing for my people,”
Wike said.
He added that his priority is satisfying his “appointor” and
delivering visible infrastructure projects for residents of the FCT rather than
worrying about public speculation or “what somebody on the road is thinking.”
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