The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sharply criticized Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye over his comments warning against a one-party system in Nigeria.
Okinbaloye had raised concerns on Thursday during his program, following the controversial derecognition of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a court ruling.
He said, “I am particularly pained because what makes the race very interesting is when it is competitive; not only does one party stands in the middle of the ballot, butstand you’re also looking for the rest of the political parties.
“When some of us talk, it looks like our mouths are smelling. And we have been on this ground for a while.
“There are a lot of experienced men in the ADC that should have seen the devil in some of the issues that have been raised in the past months. Particularly, it looks like one of the hopes of the opposition going into 2027. If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically,” the anchor stated.
Responding at a media parley in Abuja on Friday, Wike expressed strong displeasure at the remarks.
“I was thoroughly surprised yesterday. When I was watching Seun’s Politics Today.
“If there is anyway to break the screen, I would have shot him. How can an interviewer say, “We cannot allow a one-party state,” Wike said.
