Wike Slams Sowore for Calling President a ‘Criminal’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has publicly condemned activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore for referring to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.” Speaking on Thursday at the flag-off of a road construction project in Abuja, Wike stated that such a comment was an act of extreme disrespect that would not be tolerated in many other countries.

Wike’s comments were a direct response to a social media post where Sowore described the President as a “criminal.” The FCT Minister noted, “This is a country where somebody on social media will say Mr. President is a criminal; nothing will happen. You are lucky you have a President who believes in the rule of law.” He further advised that Sowore should continue to be “lucky” as there are other leaders he could meet who would not be as tolerant.

The verbal exchange quickly escalated when Sowore, in a counter-statement on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, fired back at the Minister. Sowore accused Wike of gross misconduct during his time as governor and stated that Wike himself “should be in the Hague at the International Criminal Court.” He further accused Wike of being a “drunkard–murderer-landgrabber-thief Minister,” highlighting the deepening political tensions between the two men.

The public feud comes amid reports that the federal government, through the Department of State Services (DSS), has already filed criminal charges against Sowore for defamation over the initial tweet. The DSS has also requested that social media platforms remove the controversial post, a move Sowore has resisted, citing his right to freedom of speech.