Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has said he would still consider appointing Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike if he were president, despite his reservations about the minister’s political conduct.
Adebayo made the statement during an interview with Symfoni in which he assessed the Bola Tinubu administration and spoke about recent political events, including the Osun State election.
The SDP candidate’s assessment of Wike was mixed.
While he criticised the minister’s public utterances and approach to political power, he acknowledged his ability to work and pointed to the visible infrastructure projects carried out in the FCT.
“I respect Wike for one thing: that he has a good work ethic. He can work,” Adebayo said.
According to Adebayo, Wike has delivered more in the FCT than several ministers who previously occupied the position.
He argued that Nigeria would see significant improvements in infrastructure if state commissioners responsible for works could produce similar results.
He, however, questioned whether all the projects represented good value for money, suggesting that some contracts awarded under Wike could have been inflated. Nevertheless, he maintained that actual work was being executed.
Speaking from the perspective of an FCT resident, Adebayo said the minister’s projects had made transportation easier and improved aspects of everyday life in the capital.
His major disagreement with Wike, he explained, was not about his capacity to work but his conduct in public and his apparent endorsement of force as a political tool.
Adebayo described the minister as a “bad example for Nigerian politics” and said he hoped Wike would eventually understand that political power does not last forever.
He also took aim at the media for what he described as excessive attention given to Wike on issues beyond the minister’s official responsibilities.
According to him, Wike should be allowed to focus on the FCT rather than regularly receiving media platforms to comment on wider political matters.
Adebayo further argued that some media outlets make the minister appear like a “clown” by broadcasting comments that, in his assessment, reduce the dignity attached to his office.
He advised Wike to support Tinubu privately if he wished to do so, rather than engaging in what he described as public theatrics.
The presidential candidate warned that such political behaviour could have a wider impact on younger Nigerians by creating the impression that force and aggressive rhetoric are acceptable tools in democratic politics.
“If I was in my own government, I can appoint Wike, but I’ll put a” Adebayo stated.
Despite his criticism, Adebayo maintained that Wike remains the number one performing minister in Tinubu’s government, attributing much of the visible development in the FCT to the minister’s willingness to work.
Adebayo also broadened his criticism to the Federal Government’s economic management, accusing the Tinubu administration of presenting economic figures without adequately reflecting the hardship experienced by Nigerians.
He questioned the significance attached to higher revenue and FAAC figures when the purchasing power of citizens had declined sharply.
The SDP candidate particularly criticised the chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, accusing him of “gaslighting” Nigerians by highlighting increased revenue allocations without adequately accounting for the fall in the value of money.
On the Osun State election, Adebayo credited Tinubu with showing political skill in managing divisions within the APC.
However, he disagreed with the portrayal of the election as evidence that federal influence had been defeated or that the process represented an ideal example of democratic restraint.
He expressed concern over the deaths associated with the political process and the lack of a credible third-party challenge, while also questioning why large numbers of voters continued to support the APC despite the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
Adebayo also condemned the involvement of several governors in the Osun election, describing their conduct as an “invasion” and criticising what he considered a thuggish display by senior public officials.
He urged governors to act in a manner that preserves the dignity of their offices, warning that their conduct could influence how younger Nigerians understand political leadership.
