Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has launched a fiery defense of the recently inaugurated Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, lashing out at critics of the ₦39 billion renovation project and accusing them of lacking “good taste.”
Wike's remarks came during the commissioning of the Left-hand Service Carriageway of the Outer Southern Expressway from Apo-Wasa, where he responded directly to comments made by Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, who had described the project as “a misplacement of priorities.”
“The ₦39bn used to renovate the International Conference Centre would have been better spent on addressing urgent issues affecting Nigerian schoolchildren,” Obi said earlier in the week, calling for increased government focus on education and poverty alleviation.
But Wike, visibly angry, dismissed such criticism as baseless and politically motivated.
“There are people who naturally don’t have good taste,” Wike said. “The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed is just the block. Everything else was changed. If you love this country, you cannot criticize that project.”
He went further, suggesting critics lacked an appreciation for national image, saying,
“Nigeria, as the giant of Africa, must not just claim it but show it. No one who truly loves this country would oppose such a transformation.”
“Not About Wearing One Shoe”: Wike Mocks Obi’s Simplicity
In a veiled swipe at Peter Obi's famed modest lifestyle, Wike said:
“It’s not about wearing one shoe or carrying your bag around telling lies. That’s not patriotism.”
Defending Tinubu, Blasting Reuben Abati
Wike also directed criticism at Dr. Reuben Abati, former spokesman to President Goodluck Jonathan and co-host of Arise TV’s The Morning Show, whom he accused of failing to defend his boss during his tenure.
“If you didn’t do well to defend your boss, it’s not our fault. I am here, and I will defend my boss. And I have the capacity to defend my boss,” Wike stated.
Mocking his media critics further, Wike added:
“If you want to die, I have land where you can be buried. Africa’s population is too high anyway. So if you want to die, go ahead.”
Criticism or Patriotism?
Wike's comments have sparked a flurry of responses on social media, with many divided. Supporters of President Tinubu and the FCT Minister hailed the ICC facelift as “a bold legacy project,” while others questioned the prioritization of elite infrastructure over education, health, and youth development, as Peter Obi suggested.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu ICC was commissioned earlier this week by President Tinubu as part of events marking 2025 Democracy Day.
As the political temperature continues to rise, the controversy over the ICC renovation is quickly becoming a fresh flashpoint between the administration and opposition figures in the battle for narrative control and fiscal accountability.
