The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, may appear politically secure today. Yet beneath his increasingly combative posture lies a critical question: what happens when the political protection he currently enjoys is no longer available?
Wike has openly linked his political influence to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, highlighting his ability to mobilise political structures in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory for the ruling party.
But Nigeria’s democracy does not belong to Wike, Tinubu, or any political godfather.
It belongs to the Nigerian people.
The Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) believes that every public official—whether elected or appointed—must be prepared to account for his stewardship when the time comes.
Wike’s record as Governor of Rivers State and his current stewardship as FCT Minister will inevitably remain subjects of public scrutiny. If a new government emerges in 2027, Nigerians will expect a transparent review of government policies, contracts, expenditures, land administration, infrastructure projects, and other areas of public interest.
That is not persecution.
That is accountability.
And accountability must apply equally to everyone, irrespective of political connections.
Wike appears to understand the stakes himself. His repeated warnings about what could happen to him if the political balance changes suggest that he knows his political future is deeply connected to the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
But Nigerians should not be asked to vote for a government simply to protect the political fortunes of individual politicians.
The 2027 election must be about Nigeria—not Wike, not Tinubu, and not the preservation of political empires.
If President Tinubu wins, the people will have spoken.
If he loses, the people will also have spoken.
And if there is a transition of power, the incoming government must have the courage to subject the records of the outgoing administration and its major actors to lawful, independent, and transparent scrutiny.
The NDC will not support political witch-hunts. But neither will it support immunity from accountability.
On issues surrounding allegations against President Tinubu, including the much-discussed Chicago-related records and other legal controversies, the NDC insists that facts must be established through competent institutions, documentary evidence, and due process. No allegation should be treated as a conviction before the law says so.
But equally, no public official should expect Nigerians to ignore legitimate questions simply because those questions are politically uncomfortable.
2027 is bigger than Wike. It is bigger than Tinubu. It is bigger than Peter Obi.
It is about whether Nigerians will continue with the status quo or choose a new direction.
And when the votes are counted, the Nigerian people—not political commanders, godfathers, or party machines—will have the final word.
The era of political impunity must end. The era of accountable leadership must begin.
