The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stirred reactions after disclosing how angered he became over comments made by Seun Okinbaloye regarding Nigeria’s political future, admitting he felt like shooting the television host while watching the programme.
The remark followed Thursday’s broadcast of Politics Today, where Okinbaloye raised concerns that the 2027 general elections could lack real competition due to the internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He warned that the country’s democracy could be at risk if the opposition party fails to present a viable challenge.
“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.
“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.”
Speaking during a media interaction in Abuja on Friday, Wike criticised the presenter’s comments, accusing him of crossing the line from journalism into personal opinion and taking sides in the ongoing political situation.
“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.
“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.”
