FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has called on those opposing President Bola Tinubu’s administration to stop using Nigerians, insisting that only the Peoples Democratic Party has the capacity to contest against Tinubu in 2027.

He made this statement during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Wike criticised the claims that Nigerians were angry, pointing out that those in the coalition were once in government and failed to improve the lives of citizens.

“I heard David Mark say, to rescue Nigeria; Nigerians are angry. David Mark was Senate President for how many terms? Two terms, is it not? Nigerians were happy. Nigerians were happy when he was Senate President for eight years. And there was no single project to Otukpo; not one. He was flying with helicopter to go to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, Nigerians are only angry now.

“When Rotimi Amaechi was Minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Chinese loan, Nigerians were happy. It’s now Nigerians are angry. I saw Seriake (Dickson). They are saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria. So I’m asking this simple question. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.

“When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry? You were a governor in Sokoto State,” he said.

Wike said he could only accept the claim that Nigerians were angry if it came from people who had never been in power, adding that Tinubu is taking steps to improve the nation’s condition.

“When you want to go to power, tell us. If there are people who have not been in power in this country, who are coming with such an idea, I can listen to them. But not people who were the ones at the helms of affairs of this country for how many years? Look at where this country is. If this President did not take certain decisions he has taken, which may be very challenging, you would have known where we would have been by now.

“A president came and said it’s a scam; took that bold step, we will not allow that. States are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that states are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that we are providing infrastructure in Abuja. I cannot say that there are no challenges. There are challenges. But for Christ’s sake, stop using Nigerians,” he stated.

He also said that only the PDP could effectively compete with President Tinubu in 2027 if the party organises itself properly, noting that the opposition has already weakened itself.

“The opposition have even decimated themselves. Let me tell you why I said so, now you are talking about coalition. What is the coalition? The only party today, that if they put themselves well, can still challenge this government, assuming, is PDP,” Wike said.

He also remarked that Nigerians keep recycling the same leaders because they base their votes on ethnic and religious sentiments instead of evaluating candidates’ records.

“It’s your business, you the voters. Let me tell you something. I’m the FCT Minister today, is it not true? Right? If I’m supporting a party to win the election, I should be able to stand and say, this is why you should support. Tell me whether this is correct or not? You are the one to say, yes. I’ve seen what you said. I’m going to vote for that. But you, the voter, you don’t do that. You vote on ethnicity. You vote on religion,” he said.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre recorded N650 million in revenue within three weeks of its launch.

During a media parley on Thursday, Wike explained that the conference centre underwent a complete renovation, noting that “the only thing that we didn’t do in that structure was to bring the whole thing down”.

He mentioned that prior to the renovation, the conference centre generated only N50 million annually for the FCT.

“Now let me tell you how this country works. The man they gave it (conference centre) to was paying N50 million to the FCT every year. That place was commissioned on June 10, and the revenue made within three weeks was N650 million. Why? People love good things,” he stated.

He added that the facility hosted the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of state, with positive remarks from ambassadors. According to him, the venue has become highly sought after.

“In fact, there’s no space. As I speak, it has been booked up to 2027.”

Wike recalled facing criticism from politicians and senior government officials when he initially closed the centre.

“The country we’re in is a place that if you begin to pay attention to frivolities, you won’t achieve anything,” he said.

“And now you’re saying, why did I name it after Tinubu. Who should I name it after? Who is more qualified?”

The FCT administration had faced backlash for spending N39 billion to renovate the conference centre.

Wike was also criticised for naming the revamped centre after the president.

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, a 48-hour deadline to resign from the party over his involvement in a newly formed opposition coalition.

In a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, spokesperson for the party, restated the party’s opposition to the coalition, describing it as a collection of “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians”.

“Former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Gregory Obi has received a 48 hour ultimatum to formally resign his membership of the Labour Party having formally joined the coalition party,” the statement said.

Obi, who was present at the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress coalition in Abuja, said on Thursday that his decision to join the party picked by the opposition coalition was not made lightly.

Ifoh claimed that Obi had been holding secret meetings with some members of the Labour Party to convince them to join the coalition.

“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him,” he stated.

“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition, and therefore, any of our members who are part of the coalition are given 48 hours to formally resign their membership of the party.

“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere.

“People who, in the morning, claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening are in the coalition.

“Nearly 70 percent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate.

“The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realised from what we are seeing in the coalition.

“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into the circle of power — people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.”

The spokesperson also stressed that the Labour Party remains focused on Nigeria’s progress and called on members to remain committed and uphold the party’s structure.