Wike Slams Aregbesola, Atiku, Others: “You Failed in Office, Now You Want to Rescue Nigeria”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, launched a scathing attack on leaders of the newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Sunday, branding them a collection of failed politicians desperately seeking a return to power.

Speaking during a thanksgiving service in Asokoro, Abuja, to mark the commissioning of 16 projects in the FCT, Wike reserved some of his harshest criticism for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the former Minister of Interior and interim National Secretary of the ADC.

“You were Minister of Interior here and to go and get international passport, one would spend days, weeks and months before one could get it,” Wike said, accusing Aregbesola of presiding over a broken passport system.

“But look at a young boy now under this administration, see what he has done. Within hours, you have got your international passport. And yet, you come and say Nigerians are angry. Yes, they are angry with you for not making it possible for them to get their international passports as quickly as possible.”

Drawing a sharp contrast between Aregbesola and his successor, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Wike praised the latter for achieving in months what his predecessor couldn’t in years, further reinforcing the claim that the former minister’s tenure was marked by bureaucratic stagnation.

Wike then turned his fire on Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and one of the leading figures behind the ADC coalition, dismissing his political career as opportunistic and driven by self-interest rather than patriotism.

“In 1999, you were in this party. In 2006, you were in another party. In 2014, you moved to another party. In 2019, you came back to another party. Now in 2025, you are moving to another party to rescue who? You want to rescue your stomach, it is not Nigeria you want to rescue,” he declared.

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“They cannot stay out of power. Unfortunately, they have stayed out, and they will not come back.”

The FCT Minister also mocked the ADC’s claim to offer salvation through a coalition formed just six months into President Bola Tinubu’s administration, calling their efforts a thinly veiled attempt to hijack power without any real plan for the country.

Directing his criticism at David Mark, the former Senate President and interim National Chairman of ADC, Wike questioned his legacy and credibility to speak about rescuing Nigeria.

“I was Senate President for eight years, for example. I was unable to provide road to my local government, Otukpo and I would fly helicopter to go to Otukpo. Eight years. Now, he says he is going to rescue Nigeria. Which Nigeria are you rescuing after eight years as Senate President?”

Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, was not spared either. Wike lambasted Amaechi’s tenure, citing reckless borrowing and unsustainable debt that have hamstrung future generations.

“Somebody was Speaker for eight years, governor eight years, minister eight years. He didn’t know Nigerians were angry. It is just these two years he left office, you are saying Nigerians are angry. Why won’t they be angry when the eight years you spent as Minister of Transportation, you borrowed so much money from China, making us to be highly indebted. You had borrowed the future of Nigerians.”

He also took a swipe at Amaechi’s wife, Judith Amaechi, referencing her claim to being an “industrialist” as part of his presidential ambition narrative.

“So, somebody said his wife is an industrialist. So, you have to sponsor him to be president. As an industrialist, who stopped all the industries everywhere? Yet Nigerians are angry. May God bless them. May God forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing.”

Rounding off, Wike dared the ADC leaders to challenge his performance in Abuja.

“Come and challenge us in Abuja, whether Abuja is working or not,” he said, asserting that under his leadership, the capital city is finally witnessing progress.

With the 2027 elections looming, Wike’s remarks signal an escalating war of words between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emerging opposition bloc. But his critique raises a pointed question: Can those who failed in office now claim the moral ground to rescue Nigeria?