The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, to provide evidence to support his allegations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said senior government officials, particularly those occupying strategic positions such as chief of staff, secretary to the government and finance heads, often become targets of individuals seeking to embarrass or destabilise an administration.
The minister maintained that if Adeyemi’s claims were genuine, he should present his evidence directly to the chief of staff and the relevant security agencies rather than remaining out of public view.
“If it was indeed correct, eyeball to eyeball, go to the security. He cannot say this,” Wike said.
During the media briefing, the FCT minister also disclosed details of what he described as a failed attempt to blackmail his family.
According to Wike, unnamed individuals alleged that his son facilitated an illegal financial transaction involving government land allocations in the Federal Capital Territory.
He, however, dismissed the allegation as false, stating that an internal review by his Chief Security Officer showed that the timeline presented by the accuser did not correspond with his son’s verified travel records on the date in question.
Wike said he rejected attempts to quietly resolve the matter in order to protect his reputation, insisting that the allegations should be addressed transparently.
“Why not settle? Settle what? This is blackmail. I would not allow that. I wouldn’t do it,” he said.
The minister questioned why unverified allegations against public officials are often treated as public relations challenges rather than matters requiring formal investigation.
He also rejected claims that the PFIPC director general was staying out of the public eye due to concerns for his safety.
“Which life? Is your life bigger than the lives of other people in the country?” Wike asked.
He stressed that serious allegations involving public officials should be thoroughly investigated and resolved through due process rather than being used as a basis for calls for the removal of government appointees.
