Atiku's Aide Presses Wike on FCT Media Parley Funding Transparency

Paul Ibe, the media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has publicly challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to reveal the financial details and origins of funding for the live broadcasts of his public engagements. Ibe made this demand via a post on X on Tuesday, specifically questioning the substantial costs associated with a recent media interaction featuring Minister Wike, which was widely aired across numerous television and radio platforms.

Ibe presented an estimated cost analysis, suggesting that each broadcasting station could charge between ₦10 million and ₦20 million per hour. Based on this, he calculated that if eight stations broadcast for two hours, the total expenditure for a single session could range from ₦160 million to ₦320 million. Extending this projection, Ibe estimated that 12 such monthly sessions could accumulate costs between ₦1.92 billion and ₦3.84 billion annually. It is important to note that these figures were Ibe's own estimates and have not been independently verified.

The former Vice-President's aide underscored that FCT residents have a legitimate right to be informed about the precise amount spent on these broadcasts and the proportion of airtime dedicated to addressing issues directly impacting the territory. Ibe articulated his stance, stating, “There is nothing wrong with a minister explaining his stewardship. But public resources must serve public purposes, not personal political battles.”

He further scrutinised the thematic focus of Wike’s media appearances, contending that they should prioritise critical areas such as infrastructure development and public services rather than becoming platforms for political disagreements. Ibe elaborated, “FCT residents deserve to know how much is being spent on these broadcasts and how much airtime is devoted to FCT development, rather than Wike’s political disagreements with Atiku, Amaechi, Obi, ADC and NDC.”

Ibe reiterated his call for the minister to provide comprehensive payment details for the broadcasts. “Minister Wike, publish the invoices. Identify the stations paid, the amounts, the funding sources and the relevant budget lines,” he demanded. He asserted the public’s entitlement to know whether these broadcasts were financed with public funds and, if so, under which specific budgetary provisions such expenditures were authorised. Ibe concluded by stating, “The FCT treasury is not Wike’s personal political broadcasting account. Public office is not a licence to convert public funds into private political publicity.”

This public challenge from Ibe follows a recent media parley held by Wike in Abuja, where the minister discussed his administration’s ongoing projects and reiterated his political backing for President Bola Tinubu in anticipation of the 2027 general elections. However, Ibe’s social media post did not include any documentary evidence to substantiate his estimated broadcast costs or to definitively establish the source of funding for the media engagements.