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 Health workers have repeatedly withdrawn services, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable.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

Gombe, UNICEF launch centre to support sexual violence survivors

The Gombe State Government, with UNICEF support, has inaugurated a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) to assist survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Speaking at the Gombe Specialist Hospital on Friday, Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, described the initiative as a significant step in combating sexual violence.

Represented by Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, Jatau said the centre provided a safe space for medical, psychological, and legal support for survivors.

He added the centre would act as a one-stop facility, offering a wide range of essential services to victims.

According to him, the centre is equipped with basic facilities, including a counselling room, pharmacy store, and laboratory.

Jatau urged traditional and community leaders to report sexual violence cases promptly, noting: “The centre can only function when people are brought in.”

Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, said the centre would restore hope to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

She emphasised that sexual violence has serious psychological effects, requiring attention beyond immediate treatment.

Rafique described the centre as a critical part of child protection integrated into healthcare services.

She stressed that abuse of children and gender-based violence must be prevented, not just treated after occurrence.

“Although the centre is vital for saving lives and mental health, preventing abuse in the community is more important.

She called on community leaders to promote prevention rather than wait for cases to be referred to the centre.

Rafique urged engagement of grassroots stakeholders and awareness campaigns, noting most perpetrators are neighbours or family members.

“We must educate communities on how parents should protect their children.

“This is not unique to Gombe; I have seen abuse in children as young as six months across five states.

“These harmful practices must end so survivors are helped, and future generations are protected,” she said.

Dr Sambo Dawa Medical Director, Gombe Specialist Hospital, said the hospital has treated survivors through its SGBV unit since 2021.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, between 2021 and 2025, the unit assisted 645 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

The survivors’ ages ranged from 1 to 24 years: 55 were 1–4, 133 were 5–9, 196 were 10–14, 150 were 15–19, and 111 were 20–24.

Male survivors totalled 119 (18.4 per cent), while females numbered 526 (81.6 per cent) of the total cases.

Regarding perpetrators, 174 survivors (26.9 per cent) were abused by family members, 325 (50.4 per cent) by neighbours, and 146 (22.6 per cent) by strangers.

On types of violence, 531 cases (82.3 per cent) were sexual, while 114 (17.7 per cent) were physical abuse.

Dawa noted that most cases came from rural areas (574), with 71 reported from urban centres.

Gombe, UNICEF launch centre to support sexual violence survivors

Chidoka Advocates Single-Term Presidency to Strengthen Governance Focus

By: Michael Mike

Former Aviation Minister and Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, Osita Chidoka, has called on Nigeria to adopt a single-term presidential system, arguing that the country’s current two-term arrangement fuels continuous electioneering and weakens effective governance.

Chidoka made the proposal during the Nigeria Leadership Series virtual town hall organised by the Africa Leadership Group. The event, themed “Nigeria, 2026 and Beyond,” was hosted by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, President of the Group, and brought together policy experts, civic leaders, and citizens to examine Nigeria’s governance trajectory.

According to Chidoka, prolonged political cycles leave little room for sustained reforms, as leaders are often preoccupied with re-election strategies rather than long-term development planning.

He pointed to countries such as Mexico, where a constitutionally defined single-term presidency has helped limit political distractions and encourage leaders to focus on delivery within a fixed timeframe.

He noted that Nigeria has already shifted national attention toward the 2027 general elections, despite 2026 still being a crucial year for governance.

He said: “Life does not stop because elections are approaching,” stressing that education, healthcare, and security challenges persist regardless of the political calendar.

In his presentation, Chidoka identified deep-seated structural problems constraining Nigeria’s progress. These include weak institutional systems that rely heavily on individual integrity, the dominance of emotional politics over data-driven decision-making, and a growing crisis of trust between the government and citizens, especially among young people.

He warned that relying solely on moral leadership without building strong systems often leads to disappointment and policy inconsistency. Instead, he argued for institutions that can deliver results irrespective of who is in power.

Looking ahead to 2026, Chidoka urged the government to approach security challenges with clear systems and strategies rather than rhetoric, deepen economic reforms beyond surface-level policies, and strengthen human capital development through measurable accountability. He also criticised recurring gaps between approved budgets and actual implementation, calling for closer alignment between public spending and national priorities.

Describing himself as optimistic about Africa’s future, Chidoka said Nigeria possesses immense creative and human potential that can be unlocked through purposeful governance. He said harnessing this energy could help the country evolve into a society where opportunity is widely shared and oppression reduced.

Participants at the town hall praised Chidoka’s analysis and urged citizens to remain actively engaged in national conversations. Chidoka concluded by encouraging Nigerians not to withdraw from civic life, emphasising that evidence-based engagement and accountability are vital to restoring public trust and national direction.

Chidoka Advocates Single-Term Presidency to Strengthen Governance Focus