‘National embarrassment’ — Obi speaks on Wike’s face-off with military officer

Obi

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says the clash between Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), and a naval officer is an “unfortunate reflection of the growing institutional disorder” in Nigeria.

On Tuesday, a viral video surfaced online showing Wike in a heated argument with a military official at a site in Abuja.

In the footage, Wike is seen stepping in to defuse the situation, separating his security detail from the soldiers as tensions escalated.

Speaking with the officers, the minister demanded to see the approval granted to the owners of the land.

A soldier, who appeared to be leading the group, told Wike the officers were not intimidating anyone, stating that the landowner had all the necessary documents.

“On the contrary, sir, we are not intimidating anybody. The papers are complete, and he said he has submitted them,” the soldier said.

‘TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A DISGRACED COUNTRY’

Reacting in a post on Wednesday, Obi said the episode reflects the growing disregard for institutional protocols in the country.

The former Anambra governor added that the incident raises urgent questions about the use of the military in civilian matters, the respect for administrative boundaries, and the culture of civility.

“What should ordinarily be a routine civic encounter has, once again, become a national embarrassment— a typical example coming out of a ‘disgraced country’, ” the post reads.

“Beyond the personalities involved, this incident raises fundamental questions that demand honest national reflection: Should the military be used for purely civil operations?