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Mr. President, Wike has done enough•Abandoned FCT…wrecking Rivers State-–he has to go
Mr. President, Wike has done enough
•Abandoned FCT…wrecking Rivers State-–he has to go
By Musa Pai
Two of Nigeria’s most consequential power centres today are the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State. One is the seat of national authority and the symbol of our collective future; the other is the country’s energy nerve centre. Stability, competence, and restraint are therefore non-negotiable in the governance of both. What Nigeria is witnessing today, however, is an unhealthy concentration of political overreach by one man, Nyesom Wike, who now threatens governance in Abuja while pushing Rivers State toward needless chaos.
It is neither normal nor healthy for a minister, other than the President, to exert disruptive influence over two such critical centres simultaneously. Yet that is precisely what the Minister of the FCT has attempted: to govern Abuja in name while continuing to rule Rivers State in fact. This is not public service; it is political empire-building on steroids. And it has consequences.
After eight uninterrupted years as governor, Wike was appointed Minister of the FCT, an office with executive powers equivalent to those of a governor and, historically, one of the most sensitive portfolios in the federation. For a Southerner and a Christian, it was also a rare opportunity to serve the nation at its political core and to help advance the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Instead of rising to that responsibility, the minister appears consumed by an unquenchable desire to retain control of Rivers State by proxy, pursuing a third term through the back door.
The result is predictable. Abuja is drifting. While the minister boasts of road construction, and yes, some roads have been built, the city itself is unravelling. Governance cannot be reduced to asphalt. A capital city must function as a living system. Today, it does not. Parts of Abuja have had no reliable pipe-borne water since November 2025. Public sector workers are on strike. Primary and secondary schools have suffered prolonged shutdowns. Health workers have repeatedly withdrawn services, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable. Refuse heaps line major streets, drainage systems are blocked, and insecurity—one-chance robberies, kidnappings, ritual killings—has become disturbingly routine.
These are not coincidences. They are symptoms of abandonment. A minister distracted by Rivers’ politics cannot properly run the FCT. The selling off of green areas to private developers, the conversion of planning zones into a concrete jungle, and the collapse of basic city management all point to an administration without focus or accountability. Abuja is fast losing the dignity expected of the nation’s capital.
Even more damaging is what Wike’s fixation is doing to Rivers State itself. His open-ended war against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, including renewed impeachment threats, directly undermines the peace pact brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Rivers people did not vote for perpetual crisis. They voted for governance. The state’s importance to Nigeria’s energy security makes this reckless brinkmanship not just irresponsible but dangerous.
There is also a broader political cost that the Presidency cannot ignore. Allowing a minister, who is not even a member of the ruling party, to openly harass and destabilise an APC governor sends a troubling signal. It weakens party cohesion, emboldens indiscipline, and fuels the perception that loyalty to the President can be weaponised into personal impunity. Governors across the country are watching. So are voters.
Wike’s own rhetoric compounds the problem. His repeated boasts that he “made” the President, and his public defiance of party and presidential authority, create the impression that the Presidency is captive to one man’s ego. No President can afford that perception. Left unchecked, it erodes authority, fractures alliances, and hands the opposition a ready-made narrative of weakness and disorder.
This is not about ingratitude or denying past political support. President Tinubu has rewarded loyalty-and generously. But loyalty does not confer a licence to destabilise the federation or embarrass the government. The Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on discipline, order, and national interest. Any official who undermines these pillars, regardless of past contributions, becomes a liability.
The danger is now clear. In the FCT, governance has stalled. In Rivers State, political tension is escalating. In both places, Wike’s actions are creating enemies for the President and damaging the administration’s standing ahead of 2027. This is a wrecking ball approach to politics—one that has already shattered his former party, the PDP (as he has been expelled), and now threatens to do collateral damage to the Presidency itself.
Mr President, leadership is ultimately about choice. You cannot afford a minister who governs nowhere entirely and destabilises everywhere deliberately. Nigeria’s capital deserves undivided attention. Rivers State deserves peace. The country deserves clarity.
The time to act is now. For the sake of Abuja, for the stability of Rivers State, and for the authority of your Presidency, Nyesom Wike must be relieved of his appointment. Anything less will be read as consent to disorder.
Musa Pai, a political analyst and concerned FCT resident writes from Abuja
Mr. President, Wike has done enough
•Abandoned FCT…wrecking Rivers State-–he has to go
Nigeria Positions Itself for Global Space Leadership at Satellite Week 2026
Nigeria Positions Itself for Global Space Leadership at Satellite Week 2026
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria is set to sharpen its policy direction in the global space ecosystem as Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited prepares to host the 2026 Nigerian Satellite Week in Abuja.
The Managing Director of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, Jane Egerton-Idehen, disclosed this in a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Corporate Communications, Stephen Kwande, noting that the event will convene top government officials, regulators, and international stakeholders to shape the future of satellite governance and digital infrastructure.
Egerton-Idehen said the forum is coming at a critical time when countries around the world are strengthening their space capabilities as part of broader national development strategies.
According to her, satellite technology is increasingly linked to economic growth, national security, and digital connectivity, making strategic investments in space infrastructure a priority for many nations.
She explained that the conference is expected to attract high-level participation, including cabinet members, defence authorities, development finance institutions, and technology innovators from across Africa.
The NIGCOMSAT boss also highlighted Nigeria’s growing influence in global space policy, pointing to her emergence as Vice Chair of the Global Satellite Operators Association as a sign of the country’s expanding role in international satellite governance.
She further cited ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the Kenya Space Agency as part of broader efforts to strengthen partnerships within Africa’s evolving space ecosystem.
Egerton-Idehen described the upcoming satellite week as both a reflection of Nigeria’s 20-year journey in satellite development and a strategic platform to define the country’s next phase in an increasingly competitive global space economy.
Nigeria Positions Itself for Global Space Leadership at Satellite Week 2026
Burundi Presses Nigeria to Resume Crude Oil Supply, Seeks Deeper Economic Partnership
By: Michael Mike
The Ambassador of Burundi to Nigeria, Edward Nduwimana, has urged Nigeria to urgently resume the supply of crude oil to his country, warning that the suspension of the long-standing energy arrangement has continued to impact Burundi’s ability to address its energy deficit.
Nduwimana made the appeal during an interaction with journalists in Abuja, where he also called for the immediate convening of the Permanent Mixed Commission for Cooperation between both countries to revive stalled agreements and unlock new economic partnerships.
Nigeria had supplied Burundi with about 45,000 barrels of crude oil per day under a bilateral arrangement that ran between 2008 and 2014 before the agreement was halted amid reforms in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The envoy said the arrangement had played a crucial role in stabilising Burundi’s energy supply and supporting economic activities, stressing that its suspension created a significant gap in the country’s energy needs.
“Burundi wishes to express its gratitude to the Nigerian people, through their institutions, for the support provided since 2008 through the supply of crude oil,” he said.
“This support helped mitigate the effects of the energy deficit in my country. We understand that the suspension that occurred in 2014 took place in a particular context, driven by the government’s desire to restructure the sector.”
Despite the interruption, the ambassador expressed confidence that Nigeria would consider restoring the cooperation in the spirit of African solidarity and mutually beneficial partnership.
According to him, discussions are already underway to revive the arrangement as part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral relations between the two countries.
Nduwimana stressed that reconvening the Permanent Mixed Commission for Cooperation in 2026 has become urgent, noting that the last session of the commission was held in Bujumbura in 2021.
He explained that the proposed meeting would provide a platform for both governments to review previous commitments, resolve outstanding issues and chart a new roadmap for cooperation.
“The second session will represent an important step in strengthening bilateral cooperation between Burundi and Nigeria,” he said.
The envoy added that the meeting is expected to drive concrete progress in key sectors including trade, education, tourism, mining and agro-industry.
He said the discussions would also focus on strengthening legal frameworks and sector-specific agreements needed to accelerate joint projects and investment flows.
“Our ambition is to achieve concrete commitments that deliver tangible results for our two countries and their populations,” Nduwimana added.
Beyond diplomatic engagement, the ambassador extended an open invitation to Nigerian businesses and investors to explore opportunities in Burundi, which he described as an emerging investment destination in East Africa.
According to him, Burundi serves as a strategic gateway to the regional market of the East African Community and offers promising prospects in sectors such as agriculture, mining, energy, infrastructure and tourism.
“Burundi is a stable country, open for business, and committed to improving its investment climate,” he said.
“We invite economic operators from the West African region in general, and Nigeria in particular, to explore these opportunities and establish lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships.”
The renewed push for cooperation signals Burundi’s determination to revive its energy partnership with Nigeria while expanding economic ties beyond oil into trade, investment and regional market access.
Burundi Presses Nigeria to Resume Crude Oil Supply, Seeks Deeper Economic Partnership
Former Kaduna governor El-Rufai loses mother
By: Zagazola Makama
The former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has lost his mother, Hajiya Umma, who passed away on Friday.
The announcement of her death was announced by the Elrufai Family on Friday.
Family sources said the deceased had been battling age-related health challenges, which worsened in recent times.
According to the sources, her condition reportedly deteriorated further after she learned of the detention of her son by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
They noted that El-Rufai had been closely managing his mother’s health prior to her demise.
The family prayed for Almighty Allah to forgive her shortcomings and grant her Aljannatul Firdaus.
Former Kaduna governor El-Rufai loses mother
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NIGCOMSAT to Host Nigerian Satellite Week 2026 as Nigeria Marks 20 Years in Space Economy
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