A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has thrown his weight behind the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, following his heated confrontation with a naval officer over a disputed plot of land in Abuja’s Gaduwa District.
In a post on his social media page on Tuesday, Igbokwe condemned the officer’s behaviour, describing it as “horrible” and “representing evil,” while warning that the incident exposed deeper issues of corruption, impunity, and entitlement surrounding land ownership in the nation’s capital.
“What this small boy displayed today has a million meanings,” Igbokwe wrote.
“What frightens me even more are the reactions I’m seeing online. Who sent this young man on such a horrible mission? Of what meat is he fed? I believe those lands were stolen. Take him out of the military as soon as possible. He represents evil. He was not well brought up.”
The outspoken APC stalwart accused unnamed elites of benefiting from illegal land acquisitions in Abuja and of resisting Wike’s reform agenda aimed at sanitizing land administration in the territory.
“Some people who stole Nigeria to the bones in Abuja will not like Wike,” he said.
“Shameless land grabbers who see Abuja as their father’s property will not like him. Appointment bandits and free money chasers will not like him either.”
‘Wike Changed the Status Quo’
Igbokwe also placed Wike’s appointment in a broader historical context, noting that his emergence as FCT Minister marked the first time in over three decades that a Southerner had held the position.
“I am aware that no Southerner has been FCT Minister since 1990, when the capital was moved to Abuja,” he said. “For more than 30 years, the post has always gone to someone from the North. In 2023, Wike became FCT Minister — and hell was let loose.”
He further called for a thorough probe into the ownership of the disputed land, questioning the motives behind the naval officer’s confrontation with Wike.
“Who is the real owner of the land in question? Why didn’t he show up to face Wike himself? Was the land acquired through due process? This matter must be fully investigated,” Igbokwe stated.
The clash between Wike and the naval officer, which was captured in a viral video, has continued to generate nationwide debate, attracting comments from political leaders, security experts, and citizens alike.
Wike, reacting to the controversy, maintained that he would not bow to blackmail or intimidation, vowing that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would not tolerate illegal land occupation or development.
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