By Newspot Nigeria Editorial Desk
There is a growing habit among Nigerian politicians that has become both predictable and insulting. Whenever they make a mistake, they quickly wave it off as politics. It no longer matters whether the issue is straightforward. The moment the public reacts, the excuse is ready and waiting.
The recent confrontation involving FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and a naval officer is a clear example. Nigerians watched the video and drew their own conclusions. The questions that followed were natural. What happened. Why did it escalate. Could it have been handled better. Instead of responding directly, the minister suggested that the reactions were political. During his press briefing, he also said, “Yes, I have wounded people politically, and I have no regrets about it, and I will continue to wound them when necessary.” From that moment, every citizen who commented was treated as part of a political rivalry.
The problem goes deeper than one incident. In some circles, the habit has become so extreme that even unrelated international reactions are reinterpreted as domestic political battles. When United States President Donald Trump threatened to consider military action to eradicate terrorism in Nigeria, some people claimed he only said so because he disliked the APC and wanted to help their opponents win the next election. That is how far the reflex has gone.
Not every issue is political. Nigerians know what they saw. Leaders earn trust by addressing issues directly, not by hiding behind political shadows.
—Published by Newspot Nigeria.
