The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at prominent lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, who had opposed his recent demolition activities in Abuja. Wike criticized Adeyanju's stance and accused him of being a "jobless" activist, attributing his behavior to a lack of employment. The confrontation arose after Adeyanju, along with activist Vincent Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, organized a protest against the demolition of the Ruga settlement located along Airport Road in Abuja. They called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, claiming that the demolition was unjustified and harmful to the residents. In response, Wike dismissed their criticism and addressed the situation during a press briefing on Wednesday.
In his statement, Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, revealed that Adeyanju had once approached him with a request to become the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wike stated that he turned down Adeyanju's request and insisted that he had no regrets about the decision. Wike further mocked Adeyanju, suggesting that the activist's newfound civil society role was a result of his unemployment. Wike remarked, "I saw one young man, they call him Adeyanju. He is from Kogi State. This young boy came to me that he wants to be the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, and I said no. I said he won’t be, and he was not. I have no regret about it. He has suddenly become a civil society activist." Wike went on to accuse Adeyanju of lacking a job, which he claimed led him to engage in activism as a means to occupy himself.
Meanwhile, Adeyanju, in a separate statement, voiced his ongoing dissatisfaction with the current administration under President Bola Tinubu. Adeyanju criticized Tinubu's leadership, asserting that the ongoing hardship in Nigeria would not improve even if Tinubu were given 300 years in office. He expressed his belief that Tinubu's policies were not aimed at alleviating the struggles of the Nigerian populace, particularly the poor. Adeyanju went on to label Nigeria as an "anti-poor" nation, emphasizing the economic challenges faced by ordinary citizens under the current government. He specifically cited the rising cost of living and the lack of support for the poor, stating, "This nation is anti-poor; by and large, it’s an anti-poor people’s nation."
Adeyanju also expanded on his thoughts regarding the socio-political situation in Nigeria during a recent interview, where he highlighted several pressing issues, such as the detention of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters, the political maneuvers of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, and the controversial handling of terrorism cases. He likened the country's current state to a "concentration camp" and pointed to the disparity between the wealthy and the poor. Adeyanju made it clear that he believed Nigeria's government favored the rich while oppressing the poor. He criticized the lack of accountability for the rich, who, according to him, continued to benefit from various privileges, including tax breaks and the luxury of private jets, while the poor were burdened with higher taxes and soaring fuel prices. Adeyanju further criticized the government's treatment of protesters, particularly minors, who were charged with terrorism for peacefully demanding better living conditions. He condemned the arrest and mistreatment of citizens who spoke out against government policies, labeling the situation as a serious irony in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Adeyanju continued by questioning the sincerity of President Tinubu's leadership, claiming that the president's actions, such as purchasing a private jet and proposing harmful tax policies, showed that he had no genuine interest in improving the lives of Nigerians. Adeyanju stated, “The same Tinubu who just bought a jet is the one you expect to get Nigerians out of hardship? Or is it the Tinubu who proposed a tax bill you’re expecting to reverse his harmful policies? How can things get better under this kind of government? Even if you give Tinubu 300 years, things will never get better.”
