“Only the Blind Will Say Tinubu Has Failed” – Wike Sparks Outrage with Bold Claim in Abuja

Wike says anyone calling Tinubu a failure must be blind. His defense of the president’s achievements in Abuja has sparked reactions. Read more inside.

 

ABUJA, Nigeria — In a bold and controversial statement that has stirred public debate, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that “only the blind” would claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has underperformed since assuming office in May 2023.

 

Wike made the remarks during a high-level inspection tour of ongoing and completed infrastructure projects across Abuja on Saturday. He applauded President Tinubu’s administration for what he described as the “transformation” of the FCT’s infrastructure landscape in just under a year.

 

“Mr President has given first-class infrastructure to Abuja. All of you can attest to the fact that, indeed, Abuja has really changed,” Wike stated. “I don’t see why anybody would say that Mr President has not done well, except you are just blind. Except, you don’t want to admit something that you know is good.”

 

The FCT Minister’s comment—branding critics of Tinubu’s performance as effectively “visually impaired”—has sparked mixed reactions across political and civic spaces, with some hailing his boldness while others call the statement insensitive and dismissive of legitimate concerns.

 

Wike announced that several high-impact projects are lined up for commissioning to mark President Tinubu’s second year in office, a process that he said would last two weeks.

 

Among the key projects listed for inauguration are:

 

The Gishiri Interchange

 

The OSEX to Wassa Junction project

 

The remodeled International Conference Centre

 

The N5 Highway

 

Multiple road projects across satellite towns and the city center

 

The long-awaited Abuja Greater Water Scheme

 

Wike emphasized that these projects are tangible indicators of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy, especially to Abuja residents.

 

“What makes us happy is when people are happy, because at the end of the day, we are working for the people. I have said it before: leadership is a major issue. When you have the right leadership, people will benefit from it,” Wike added.

 

This statement is the latest in a string of Wike’s public defenses of Tinubu’s policies and performance, even as criticism continues to grow nationally over economic hardship, rising inflation, and security concerns. His choice of words, however, may add fuel to ongoing tensions between the government and its critics.