Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has refuted allegations that he was barred from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa due to drunken behaviour.
The claims made by journalist Jackson Ude on his X handle alleged that Wike was intoxicated while receiving Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday.
Mr Ude further claimed, citing an anonymous security officer, that Wike was prevented from accessing the villa during Modi’s visit to President Bola Tinubu.
In response, Wike’s media aide Lere Olayinka issued a statement on Tuesday dismissing the allegations as baseless. He clarified that Wike had received the Indian Prime Minister as directed by President Tinubu and performed his official duties, including escorting him to the Presidential Villa on Sunday morning.
Mr Olayinka described the report as a deliberate attempt to misrepresent facts and tarnish the minister’s reputation.
The statement read: “Fact is, the FCT Minister led the Prime Minister to his hotel, from the Airport and it was from the hotel that he (Wike) led the Prime Minister to the Presidential Villa on Sunday morning, where his duty ended.
“Up till now, Jackson Ude is still spinning lies to defend his initial lies. But for us who know his antecedents, we will not dignify him henceforth.
“After all, this same Jackson Ude said in many tweets that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, had fled Nigeria, through Niger Republic. He even accused the Minister of State of Defense, Bello Matawalle of helping Yahaya Bello to escape to Niger Republic.
“However, the same Yahaya Bello that Jackson Ude said had fled Nigeria showed up at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on September 18, 2024.
“How the same man Jackson Ude claimed ‘Matawalle mobilized eight military personnel to escort to Niger Republic via Kebbi State, through the border town of lllela, in two dark-tinted Hilux pickups and a Land Cruiser’ was at the EFCC office on September 18, he (Ude) has not explained.
“Rather, he has jumped to peddling other lies against high-profile Nigerians, the latest being the FCT Minister. As usual, now that we have released pictures of the FCT Minister in his hotel with the Indian Prime Minister on Saturday and on Sunday morning at the Presidential Villa, Jackson Ude, will try to spin more lies to defend his initial lies. But like I have said, we won’t be bothered.”
