By Chief Dele Momodu
Your Excellency, good evening, Sir.
I have just read breaking news here in the United States that you have finally stepped into the troubling saga involving your Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike—whose recent closure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat and other properties belonging to alleged defaulters has drawn widespread condemnation. While no serious nation tolerates the flouting of legal obligations, a government must wield its authority with maturity, fairness, and caution—qualities that Mr. Wike has persistently disregarded.
By halting his latest escapade, Your Excellency, you have sent a clear and reassuring message to Nigerians and the international community: this administration will not be hijacked by the ambitions of a single individual, no matter how loud or unruly. You have, in one deft move, restored the principle of responsible governance and silenced growing fears that Mr. Wike was operating a parallel administration under your watch.
For far too long, many Nigerians believed we had two Presidents—Tinubu and Wike. But your firm and timely intervention has proven otherwise. It has reminded us all that there is only one Commander-in-Chief, and that authority is not for sharing. How I wish this same boldness had been applied to stop Mr. Wike’s relentless meddling in Rivers State, which has caused endless political turbulence for Governor Sim Fubara and heartbreak for the people of that state. The result has been a descent into the absurd, with whispers of emergency rule becoming worryingly normalized.
Nigerians are enduring unprecedented economic hardship—rising inflation, food insecurity, unemployment, and insecurity. The last thing we need is Wike’s trademark belligerence adding fuel to the fire. Contrast his abrasive style with that of the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, whose quiet diligence and humility have been a breath of fresh air. While Umahi works, Wike grandstands.
The Nigerian ship of state cannot afford two captains. There must be order, hierarchy, and respect for presidential authority. Mr. Wike must now accept the reality that he is not the President of the Federal Republic. Your action today has reminded him—and us—of that very important fact.
Thank you, President Tinubu, for reaffirming leadership when it mattered most. May this be the beginning of more courageous decisions that put Nigeria first.
PIONEER NEWS 