The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the controversy surrounding his recent visit to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, saying he does not practise “politics of enmity” and owes no one explanations for his private interactions.
Wike spoke with journalists on Wednesday during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Karu, Apo-Karshi, and Kubwa, where he described the backlash over the visit as unnecessary and based on a misinterpretation of a normal personal engagement between former colleagues.
According to him, both men had worked together in the past before Yilwatda became APC national chairman, stressing that there was nothing unusual about maintaining cordial relations.
“We were all colleagues before he left for the chairmanship of APC. So, what I should do anytime I see him is to hide? Anytime he sees me, he should run away so people will not say something?” he queried.
The minister further explained that the visit was actually a reciprocal one, noting that Yilwatda had made several attempts to visit him in his office without success.
Responding to concerns about the lack of an official briefing after the meeting, Wike said he would not be pressured into disclosing details of his private interactions.
He maintained that politicians from different parties are not required to avoid one another, adding that freedom of association should not be politicised.
Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while serving in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, argued that it is wrong to interpret ordinary social interactions as political conspiracy.
He added that his focus remains on delivering results in the FCT and satisfying his “appointor,” rather than worrying about public speculation.
“What’s important to me is what I’m doing for my people,” he said, insisting that his performance in office should matter more than political narratives.
Wike maintained that he was not interested in managing perceptions or responding to “what somebody on the road is thinking.”
Elijah Adeyemi
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