You failed as Senator, defend election riggers – Wike slams Shehu Sani, Ozekhome

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has slammed Shehu Sani and a senior advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over their opinions on the current administration.

Wike, Ozekhome and Sani were under the same roof as dignitaries at This Nigeria Annual Lecture and Gold Prize Award, 2024, held in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democracy.

Chief Ozekhome was the guest lecturer of this year’s event and had angered the FCT Minister when he read out his lecture without mentioning areas the country had made some progress in the last 25 years.

Also, a call made by a former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, for President Bola Tinubu to wake up and solve the problem of hunger in Nigeria, was not welcomed by Wike.

Wike tackled the two activists by questioning their decency in making such calls.

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While he demanded to know what Sani achieved as a Senator for many years, he asked Ozekhome if he had ever rejected briefs.

He put it to Ozekhome that the senior lawyer has not ever rejected a job even to defend those who rigged elections in court.

“So I said that I’ll put this to you and to tell my brother friend, for the main fact that you people were activists does not mean that you’ll do well, no.

“Activists have always failed. We’ve seen activists that were given appointments and yet they failed. When you were in the Senate, how did you perform? What was our performance as Senator?

“And you’re saying something about rigging elections and … as an activist, how many times have you rejected briefs? Those who have rigged elections, you have even defended them.

“So, it is about everytime we come here and postulate, postulate and postulate.”

He added, “First of all we’re talking about 25 years of democracy. I know we have challenges but I expected the lecturer to say, ‘yes, we’ve made some progress.’

“In all this lecture, not one progress was made . [It was about] criticism after criticism. Are you telling me that in 25 years, not one progress was made .

“Yes, you can say we’ve made this progress but still the need for us to move forward. Just like Shehu Sani said how they were detained, he didn’t say that under this democracy no Nigerian has found himself under this aspect, that’s progress.

“You’ve said here about infrastructure in FCT, who’s FCT minister working under? Mr President. That means he has the capacity to know those who can help him move the country.”