Atiku Camp Challenges Wike Over Funding Of Monthly Media Chat

The camp of the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to disclose the sources of funding of his monthly media chat.

Paul Ibe, a media adviser to Atiku, raised concerns over the cost of broadcasting the programme across multiple television and radio stations.

He alleged that public funds could be used to finance the minister’s political engagements.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ibe estimated that a two-hour broadcast across eight stations could cost between N160 million and N320 million per session, based on an estimated hourly rate of N10 million to N20 million per station.

He projected that holding the programme monthly for a year could bring the total cost to between N1.92 billion and N3.84 billion.

Ibe said Wike had previously acknowledged that live television broadcasts attract fees just as Channels Television had confirmed that airtime for such programmes comes at a cost.

He consequently called on the minister to publish the invoices for the broadcasts and disclose the amounts paid to each station, the sources of funding and the relevant budget lines.

The former vice president’s aide said residents of the FCT deserved transparency about the expenditure, particularly given the responsibilities of the administration to provide infrastructure and essential services.

“There is nothing wrong with a minister explaining his stewardship. But public resources must serve public purposes, not personal political battles,” he said.

The media adviser also questioned the focus of Wike’s media engagements, arguing that the minister should devote more attention to issues affecting residents of Abuja rather than political disagreements with opposition figures and parties.

He listed roads, water supply, schools, hospitals, sanitation and security among the areas requiring attention from the FCT Administration.

“Atiku and Amaechi are not infrastructure projects. ADC and NDC are not departments of the FCT Administration,” Ibe stated.

He argued that political campaigns should not take precedence over accountability for public spending and the delivery of services to residents.

“The FCT treasury is not Wike’s personal political broadcasting account. Public office is not a licence to convert public funds into private political publicity,” he added.

The challenge followed Wike’s monthly media chat on Tuesday, October 13, during which the minister criticised opposition politicians and defended his Rainbow Coalition for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

Wike particularly questioned the strength of the Atiku-Amaechi ticket, citing a town hall meeting Amaechi addressed in Cross River State.

The minister claimed that fewer than 200 people attended the meeting and dismissed suggestions that the opposition ticket was gaining significant support in the North or causing concern among Tinubu’s allies.

He also criticised Amaechi’s reported argument that Atiku’s northern origin gave the opposition an electoral advantage over presidential contenders from the South.

Wike further defended the Rainbow Coalition, which brings together APC members and supporters of Tinubu from other political parties. He maintained that the coalition was designed to strengthen the president’s re-election prospects rather than undermine the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The minister also argued that political differences should not prevent opposition figures from acknowledging what they consider positive aspects of Tinubu’s administration.

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