Wike addresses allegation of being banned from Presidential Villa

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has denied a report that claimed he was banned from the Presidential Villa due to being drunk.

The report, which was made by independent journalist Jackson Ude, alleged that Wike was intoxicated when he received the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday.

Reacting, Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, said the minister was directed by President Bola Tinubu to receive the Indian Prime Minister and lead him to his hotel. Olayinka stated that Wike performed his duty as instructed and was not barred from the Presidential Villa.

He said, “Fact is, the FCT Minister led the Prime Minister to his hotel from the Airport, and it was from the hotel that he (Wike) led the Prime Minister to the Presidential Villa on Sunday, where his duty ended.

“Up till now, Jackson Ude is still spinning lies to defend his initial lies. But for us who know his antecedents, we will not dignify him henceforth.

“After all, this same Jackson Ude said in many tweets that the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, had fled Nigeria, through Niger Republic. He even accused the Minister of State of Defense, Bello Matawalle, of helping Yahaya Bello to escape to the Niger Republic.

“However, the same Yahaya Bello that Jackson Ude said had fled Nigeria showed up at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on September 18, 2024.

“How the same man Jackson Ude claimed ‘Matawalle mobilized eight military personnel to escort to Niger Republic via Kebbi State, through the border town of lllela, in two dark-tinted Hilux pickups and a Land Cruiser’ was at the EFCC office on September 18, he (Ude) has not explained.

“Rather, he has jumped to peddling other lies against high-profile Nigerians, the latest being the FCT Minister. As usual, now that we have released pictures of the FCT Minister in his hotel with the Indian Prime Minister on Saturday and on Sunday morning at the Presidential Villa, Jackson Ude, will try to spin more lies to defend his initial lies. But like I have said, we won’t be bothered.”

During the visit to the country, Modi was conferred the country’s second highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) by President Tinubu.

The President also held Nigeria-India bilateral relationship discussion with Mr Modi at the Presidential Villa.