Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has said coalition leaders are only focused on “rescuing their stomach” rather than Nigerians.

Speaking on Sunday at St. James Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja, during a thanksgiving service for the “successful completion of inaugurated projects” in the FCT, Wike cautioned the congregation against “propaganda and blackmail” from politicians and appealed for their patience and continued prayers for the Bola Tinubu-led administration.

He criticised many of the coalition leaders, stating they had failed to deliver meaningful results while in positions of power, and argued their current moves showed they could not cope with staying out of power for long.

“In 1999, you were at 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 have moved to another party,” Wike said.

“To rescue who? You want to rescue your stomach. It’s not Nigerians you want to rescue.

“Some of you have sympathy for somebody you don’t know. You say Peter Obi will be president. President where?

“For eight years, he was governor; he never conducted local government elections. That is what you describe as democracy. Only you were the governor and chairman of the local governments.

“I was a senate president for eight years, for example, and I cannot provide a road to my local government, Otukpo, and I will fly a helicopter to Otukpo—eight years! It is now, and you say you want to rescue Nigeria. Which Nigeria do you want to rescue?

“Somebody was speaker for eight years, governor, eight years, minister, eight years; he didn’t know that Nigerians were angry. It’s just these two years he left office; you’re telling Nigerians that Nigerians are angry.”

Last Wednesday, opposition politicians adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their platform to challenge President Tinubu in 2027.

Several politicians across different parties are members of the coalition.

They include former Senate President David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, ex-minister of interior, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023.

Others are Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto; Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; Solomon Dalung, former minister of sports; and Odigie Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, says she will return to her legislative responsibilities in the red chamber on Tuesday.

On March 6, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the senate for six months over allegations of gross misconduct.

The suspension followed the adoption of a report by the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions after the Kogi senator had an altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the suspension in a suit filed before the Abuja federal high court.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, upheld the senate’s authority to suspend members who violate rules, including Akpoti-Uduaghan.

However, the court criticised the six-month suspension, calling it “overreaching” and “excessive”.

The judge explained that the senate’s relevant laws did not specify the maximum period for suspending a serving lawmaker.

She noted that since lawmakers are constitutionally required to sit for 181 days in each legislative session, the six-month suspension practically denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the chance to fulfil her legislative obligations for almost the entire session.

According to the judge, this amounted to depriving her constituents of their right to representation.

“A senator is expected to represent her people,” the judge stated.

“I am of the view that the senate has the power to amend that rule,” Nyako added, saying the senate “can and should” consider reinstating the plaintiff.

The court also imposed a N5 million fine on the senator for violating a previous court order by posting a satirical apology to Akpabio on her Facebook page.

Reacting to the ruling, Akpoti-Uduaghan described it as a victory.

“I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God,” she told her supporters.

Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson for the senate, says the red chamber has not yet received the certified true copy (CTC) of the federal high court judgment delivered on July 4 in the case filed by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central.

In a statement on Sunday, Adaramodu said the senate cannot proceed on the matter until it gets the complete judgment.

“Our legal representatives, who were in attendance at the proceedings, have confirmed that the complete judgment was not read in open court,” the statement reads.

“Consequently, we have formally applied for the CTC to enable a thorough review and informed determination of the appropriate legal response, particularly in view of the uncertainty surrounding whether the court made any direct order nullifying the suspension of senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.”

Binta Nyako, judge of the federal high court, while affirming the senate’s authority to discipline its members, faulted the six-month suspension imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it “overreaching” and one that effectively denied her constituents their right to representation.

The judge also imposed a fine of N5 million on the Kogi senator for violating an earlier court order through a satirical Facebook post.

Reacting to the ruling, Akpoti-Uduaghan described it as a victory and declared her intention to return to the senate on Tuesday.

But Adaramodu emphasised that no enrolled order of the judgment has been served on any party, pointing out that “none can enforce any perceived order or relief”.

“Pending receipt and examination of the CTC, and acting on the advice of counsel, the senate shall refrain from taking any steps that may prejudice its legal position,” he added.

“The senate remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will act strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon full clarification of the court’s pronouncements.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 after the senate adopted a report by its committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions following an altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.