A social critic, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has accused the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike of spending hundreds of millions of naira monthly on what he described as an ostentatious media chat.
Ejiofor argued that apart from the fact that such an exercise offers little or no substance, it also reeks off misplaced priorities.
The former lead lawyer of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, in a press statement insisted that it is quite regrettable that as millions of Nigerians battle record inflation, stagnant wages, and deepening poverty, Wike is indulging in such a misplaced priority.
Ejiofor, in the statement titled ‘Extravagance in a time of hardship – President Tinubu must curb FCT Minister Wike’s costly media show’, said the monthly spectacle is anything but a tone-deaf misuse of public funds, especially in a country where many survive on less than $2 per day, and access to basic healthcare, education, and shelter remains a daily struggle.
“To illustrate the waste, Ejiofor continued, the cost of one media edition could fund emergency relief and shelter for thousands displaced by the recent floods in Niger State. It could as well refurbish crumbling primary schools, equip rural clinics, or sustain nutrition programs in IDP camps for several months.
“The optics are disheartening. The implications are worse. Nigerians are not asking for a televised circus – Nigerians are crying out for competent governance, prudent spending, and people-centred leadership.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must take urgent action: call the FCT Minister to order, halt this wasteful spending, and redirect focus to service delivery. This is not a time for flamboyance and fanfare. It is a moment that demands humility, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. Nigeria deserves better. The time to act is now,” Ejiofor said.
