The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described opposition political leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, among others, as “known liars,” accusing them of misleading Nigerians with claims of political reform.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike criticised opposition parties for what he described as internal contradictions and a lack of credibility in their democratic processes during the just-concluded party primaries.
The minister specifically mentioned the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, alleging that the parties claim moral superiority while facing internal disputes.
According to him, parties that once portrayed themselves as “untainted” or “messianic” have failed to conduct credible internal elections without controversy, questioning their ability to offer better leadership to Nigerians.
Wike added that recent disputes surrounding opposition party primaries show that the same allegations they level against the ruling party also exist within their own structures.
“They said they are the savior that will come. What has happened now?
“NDC said we are the new face of democracy. ADC said this kind of party is a party that hasn’t been polluted one day, is a party that God just brought from the womb.
“What has happened? So dirty. See what has happened in the NDC. As small as they are, they cannot do a primary without protest.
“Look at ADC who said it’s a coalition to take over from APC to stop the distortion of democracy. What has happened?
“While the congress was going on, two presidential aspirants said ”we cannot believe that you will perpetrate on this. We have been accusing this party of doing this. Now see what we are doing, see what we have done”.
“So that now tells you, who is deceiving who? Who is coming to Nigeria to tell them lie “that we are the new born baby, the messiahs of the time of Nigeria. This is what we want to do”.
“Nigerians have now known you’re all liars. they can’t be using us. They can’t be deceiving us.
“PDP is dead party, according to you. You’ve said here APC is rotten. They cannot help Nigerian democracy. Just ordinary congress. You have three presidential aspirants, two said “this is rubbish, this is criminality to the highest order. Why are we complaining against another party.
“My assessment is that I prefer, from what I’ve seen, the old parties that are running are those that have even tested this environment and have known what Nigerian culture is all about,” Wike said.
