Fubara: Lawmaker Calls Out Tinubu’s Aide For Saying Wike Has Been Compensated

A member of the House of Representatives, Solomon Bob, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, over comments suggesting that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been “adequately compensated” by the current administration.

Bob, who represents Abua/Odual/Ahoada East Federal Constituency of Rivers State, described Bwala as “an insignificant and attention‑seeking operator, punching above his weight,” and accused him of peddling a “malicious narrative distortion.”

The row started after Bwala’s appearance on a television programme on Friday, where he suggested that Wike had been compensated for his support and also implied that the minister was frustrating the ability of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to govern effectively.

Reacting in a statement issued on Sunday in Port Harcourt and shared with journalists in Abuja, Bob said Bwala’s comments were “cheeky, unwarranted, and stemmed from premeditated bile.”

Bob took particular issue with Bwala’s claim that Wike had been adequately compensated, saying the presidential aide did not grasp the minister’s contribution to the administration.

“You could see that he deliberately pivoted from the question to talk about the minister having been ‘adequately compensated,’ whatever that means,” Bob said.

He added that Bwala’s view suggested that Wike saw public office as a “gravy train ride”, a mischaracterisation that ignored the minister’s record.

He said, “He leaves the impression that he sees public office as a gravy train ride, but public office is about service delivery, not adequate compensation.”

Bob also challenged Bwala’s dismissal of Wike’s role in the FCTA’s exit from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

“Exiting the TSA itself was the minister’s ingenious idea. The president’s acceptance underlines his confidence in the minister’s ability to deliver,” the lawmaker said.

Bob noted that even former President Muhammadu Buhari recognised Wike’s performance as Rivers governor — a point, he said, that undercuts Bwala’s claims.

The lawmaker criticised Bwala for insinuating that Wike was undermining Governor Fubara’s administration.

“He betrayed his absolute lack of judgment by implying that the minister is impeding Governor Fubara from governing,” Bob said.

He argued that the comment was an example of classic implication framing from someone he described as confused and prone to overstepping his brief.

Bob further accused Bwala of projecting personal sentiment as official position and stressed that the presidential aide was not speaking on behalf of the president.

“He denigrates his office by infusing his public comments with his own sentiments and biases and passing them off as the president’s,” the lawmaker said.

He added, “Mr Bwala doesn’t really speak for the president, by the way. That’s not his remit, and he is way down the pecking order of presidential spokesmen.”

Bob also suggested that Bwala’s comments may stem from lingering bitterness over the 2023 presidential election.

“Mr Bwala enthusiastically ran his mouth and spoke out of tune because Minister Wike got Atiku Abubakar on toast. Atiku was his boss until he jumped ship,” the lawmaker said.

He accused Bwala of being motivated by a sense of what might have been, even as he sought a role in the Tinubu administration.

In closing, Bob urged the presidential aide to concentrate on his official responsibilities, suggesting that he had yet to demonstrate the skills required for his role.

“Despite his pretensions, he doesn’t convince many people that he has the ingredients to function in that capacity,” he said.