Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has denied claims that he deliberately boycotted the recent Council of State meeting, saying his absence was due to pre-scheduled official engagements.
Wike made a clarification during the commissioning of access roads in Sector Centre B, Dakibiyu District, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The minister described reports alleging a political fallout between him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the appointment of the new INEC Chairman as ‘baseless propaganda and blackmail.’
BusinessDay recalls that during the Council of State meeting held on Thursday, October 9, Prof. Joash Amupitan was nominated as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pending confirmation by the Senate.
However, some media outlets claimed that Wike abstained from the meeting after his preferred nominee was overlooked.
Wike clarified that Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the FCT, was officially delegated to represent him in line with protocol, due to other official commitments he had informed the President about.
‘Last week Thursday, we had a flag-off and I informed Mr. President that I wouldn’t be available for the Council of State meeting because of prior commitments. The Honourable Minister of State, FCT, attended on my behalf,’ he said.
He dismissed speculation linking his absence to dissatisfaction with the INEC nomination process, saying such narratives were meant to distract from his administration’s focus on development in the capital territory.
‘People say I didn’t attend because my nominee wasn’t picked. These are distractions. I work for Mr. President. His judgment, from what I have seen, aims to reposition Nigeria,’ Wike said.