ABUJA, NIGERIA — A fresh political row has broken out between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the financial transparency and funding sources of the minister’s monthly live media broadcasts.
The challenge was issued by Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, who demanded that Wike publish official invoices detailing airtime payments made to broadcast networks airing his regular media sessions.
Atiku Camp Questions Multibillion-Naira Broadcast Costs
In a statement posted online, Ibe highlighted that at least eight television and radio stations—including major national and independent networks—broadcast the live sessions simultaneously.
Estimating airtime rates between ₦10 million and ₦20 million per station per hour, Ibe calculated that a single two-hour multi-station broadcast could cost between ₦160 million and ₦320 million.
“Over 12 monthly sessions, that translates to ₦1.92bn–₦3.84bn,” Ibe stated, urging the FCT minister to make public the specific budget lines and funding sources used to foot the media bill.
Ibe argued that while public officials have a responsibility to report their stewardship, public resources must not be converted into personal platforms for political disputes against rivals.
“Atiku and Amaechi are not infrastructure projects. ADC and NDC are not departments of the FCT Administration,” Ibe noted, emphasizing that residents of Abuja deserve to see public funds prioritized for essential infrastructure, municipal sanitation, primary education, healthcare, and security.
Wike’s Camp Fires Back
Responding to the allegations, Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for the FCT Minister, dismissed the estimates as speculative and questioned the basis of Ibe’s calculations.
Olayinka challenged the former Vice President’s camp to present proof of payment before making assertions, asking whether FCT residents had raised complaints regarding the media engagements.
Countering the challenge, Wike’s aide redirected focus back to long-standing financial queries raised by the minister regarding past state transactions, maintaining that Atiku’s team should address those inquiries rather than speculating on administrative media costs.
