Retired senior military officers held a press briefing in Kaduna on Friday, urging President Bola Tinubu to take firm action regarding Minister Nyesom Wike. The coalition, consisting of retired generals and high-ranking officers from different branches of the military, criticised Wike’s conduct during a recent confrontation, describing it as demeaning and an outright insult to the dignity of the Armed Forces. Dr. Awwal Abdullahi, speaking on behalf of the veterans, delivered a firm warning, stating that failure by the President to remove Wike would lead to organised mobilisation and occupation of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory until the minister is dismissed.
In contrast, several civil society organisations expressed support for Minister Wike and demanded a thorough investigation into the conduct of Lieutenant Yerima. The National Coalition for Democratic Integrity condemned the officer’s actions as highly disrespectful and argued that such behaviour posed a direct challenge to the principle of civilian oversight, which is a cornerstone of democratic governance in Nigeria. The groups emphasised that any attempt to prevent a minister from carrying out official duties could set a dangerous precedent capable of undermining constitutional authority and democratic norms.
The Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, acknowledged the right of retired officers to express their opinions but noted that the minister had already provided sufficient clarification on the matter. Observers, including former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu, interpreted the controversy as indicative of broader national intolerance, suggesting that public reactions were shaped more by personal perceptions of Wike than by the facts of the incident itself.
