‘He Was Embarrassed Shamelessly ‘ – Wike Lectures Arise TV Journalist On Supreme Court Ruling, Knocks Reuben Abati

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged Arise News Channel to prioritize accurate reporting and proper interpretation of news.

Naijaonpoint reports that during a ministerial media chat on Sunday evening with selected journalists, Wike addressed a reference by an Arise News correspondent to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the FCT’s status as a state.

He clarified that the Supreme Court’s interpretation pertained specifically to elections and did not officially designate the FCT as a state.

“That is why in your station, you carry wrong stories,” Wike said. He further explained, “What the Supreme Court interpreted as FCT having the status of a state is proven by elections. They have the status in elections.”

Wike emphasized that the FCT is not a member of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and does not receive allocations like states do.

He noted, “Because FCT is not a state, that is why it is not a member of FAAC. It does not collect from the Federation Account. We only take from what the federal government takes, which is 1%.”

Addressing the correspondent, Wike called for accurate relaying of the Supreme Court’s interpretation.

“So when you are saying the Supreme Court interpreted, give the proper interpretation,” he said.

He added that political interpretations equating the FCT to a state are misleading. “Political interpretation that FCT is seen as a state does not mean that FCT is a state.”

When asked about President Bola Tinubu’s commendation of his performance as FCT Minister, Wike dismissed the question as mischievous. “Ask yourself the question, how would you feel if your boss says he is satisfied with your work?” he replied. He added, “Even though the question was mischievously asked by Arise, with all due respect, that’s how we will kill journalism.”

Shameless Embarrassment

Wike also criticised another Arise News anchor, Dr Reuben Abati, for singling him out during a presidential media chat with Tinubu.

He expressed disappointment that the anchor accused him of “land-grabbing” instead of posing a question.

“That was a presidential media chat. It is so unfortunate that a first-class graduate would pick out a single minister, not to ask a question, but to accuse him of ‘land-grabbing,’” he said.

Wike claimed that the anchor was embarrassed after President Tinubu addressed the issue.

“To the Glory of God, he was embarrassed, and after Mr. President answered, he couldn’t ask any more questions. He was embarrassed shamelessly,” Wike remarked.