APC Chieftain Blasts Wike Over Land Grabbing Allegations, Accuses Minister Of Blaming Atiku To Divert Attention

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), has launched a scathing attack on Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Exe accused the minister of orchestrating a massive land grab in Abuja before falsely blaming former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for leaking the information.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, Chief Eze vehemently denied Wike’s claim that Atiku was behind the exposure of the alleged land deal, describing it as a desperate attempt to divert attention away from his own “evil misdeeds.”

He emphasised Atiku Abubakar’s status as a statesman and retired Customs officer with no ties to the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), questioning how he could be held accountable for leaking confidential information about land allocation.

“Has Atiku become a staff of AGIS? What does Atiku have to do with Wike’s shady dealings in acquiring and allocating vast amounts of FCT land to his children?” Eze asked rhetorically, adding that in any normal country, Wike would have resigned or been fired for what he described as “highbrow land fraud, abuse of office, and public trust.”

Eze went on to accuse Wike of seeing himself as more powerful than the President, allowing him to act without consequences.

“He sees and prides himself as Nigeria’s de facto President, and thus has the impetus to do whatever he wants under President Tinubu, without being held accountable,” Eze stated.

He claimed that Wike’s attempt to blame Atiku was an admission of guilt, comparing him to a “local dog” who devours the bone hanging from its neck.

The APC leader also slammed Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, calling his attempts to defend the Minister “a feeble, tales by moonlight and futile attempt at covering a monumental national embarrassment.”

“What is futile blackmail?” “What is the sponsored allegation that no land has been allocated to any of his children in the FCT?” Eze enquired.

He dismissed Olayinka’s defence as illogical and poorly reasoned, claiming that “dropping Atiku’s name was a miscalculated strategic communication aimed at gaining public sympathy over an unpatriotic act.”

According to Eze, Wike has tragically abandoned President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in favour of a “renewed fraud agenda.”

He demanded answers from Olayinka about the true ownership of JOAQ Farms in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja and Jordan Farms and Estates Limited, as well as when these companies were registered.

“Was it falsehood that Minister Wike allocated over 3,822 hectares of land valued at an estimated $6.45 billion to his two sons, Jordan (25) and Joaquin (23)?” Eze pointedly asked Olayinka.

Eze emphasised that Wike’s body language and circumstances strongly suggest guilt. He questioned the Minister’s actions in targeting AGIS staff, citing the arrest of Mairiga Hassan Shaharu, who works in AGIS’ Fresh Applications Unit.

“You are swearing and talking from both sides of your mouth that JOAQ Farms in Bwari Area Council of Abuja and Jordan Farms and Estates Limited do not belong to your children, yet you are victimising an innocent AGIS employee on the basis of suspicion that he leaked information about the land deals,” Eze stated.

“If Wike is not paranoid about the leaked land-grabbing scandal, why would police detectives arrest Mairiga Hassan Shaharu?”

Eze urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately release Shaharu and other AGIS personnel, urging Wike to “clean his mess” rather than engaging in “cheap blackmail and eye service” to impress President Tinubu.

Allegations of land grabbing and subsequent finger-pointing are likely to exacerbate political tensions within the ruling APC, potentially reigniting old rivalries.

The situation remains fluid, requiring a transparent investigation to determine the veracity of the claims and ensure accountability.

This controversy has already cast doubt on the Tinubu administration’s efforts to promote good governance and combat corruption.