FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has explained his absence from the recent Council of State meeting where Prof. Joash Amupitan was nominated as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during the commissioning of access roads in Sector Centre B, Dakibiyu District, Abuja. He said he had instructed the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, to represent him at the meeting due to prior engagements.
“Sometime last week, Thursday, we had a flag-off, and I told the Minister of State to represent me at the Council of State meeting. I had already informed the President that I would be unavailable because of other commitments,” Wike said.
He dismissed reports suggesting he skipped the meeting because his preferred nominee was overlooked, calling them “unnecessary propaganda and blackmail.”
The Council of State meeting, held on Thursday, October 9, 2025, resulted in the nomination of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman, pending Senate confirmation.
Some online reports, including from Sahara Reporters, claimed that tensions between Wike and President Bola Tinubu led to his absence and that Wike had lobbied for Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman of the Court of Appeal to be appointed instead.
Wike rejected such claims, emphasizing his loyalty to President Tinubu and highlighting the delivery of projects in the FCT as evidence of his commitment.
“I work for Mr. President. His judgment has always aimed to put this country in the right perspective. When you deliver results, critics are silenced,” he said.
The Minister also praised Tinubu’s leadership, attributing the successes of the FCT Administration to the President’s guidance. “When you have the right leadership, you can achieve the expected results. Mr. President has shown the right leadership, and the achievements speak for themselves,” Wike added.