IGP Told to Immediately Invite Wike Over Threat to Shoot Seun Okinbaloye
- CP-PDP demanded police questioning of Nigerian minister Nyesom Wike over threats to journalist Seun Okinbaloye
- Wike's violent remarks raise concerns about journalist safety in Nigeria's political climate, according to the CP-PDP
- International bodies were urged to sanction Wike for allegedly threatening media personnel ahead of the 2027 elections
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) has called on Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police (IGP), to immediately invite Nyesom Wike, the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for his recent remarks directed at Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye.
Wike, during a media chat in Abuja on Friday, April 3, threatened to shoot Okinbaloye over the journalist’s comments on the possibility of Nigeria becoming a one-party state.
Source: Facebook
CP-PDP demands Wike’s questioning
Speaking on his programme, Okinbaloye had said it was disappointing that the 2027 elections were shaping up as a contest dominated by one political party, citing the crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He said that Nigeria is “doomed democratically” if the only viable opposition, ADC, is unable to contest the 2027 elections.
Reacting to Okinbaloye, Wike had said: “I was surprised yesterday, thoroughly surprised. If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.”
CP-PDP calls out Wike
In a statement on Saturday, April 4, signed by Barrister Obinna Nwachukwu, the national coordinator of the CP-PDP, and obtained by Legit.ng, asked Disu to summon Wike for questioning over "his desire to shoot" Okinbaloye for expressing his views on the state of the nation.
The CP-PDP stated that it was shocked by Wike's outburst, saying it "raises very strong questions on the issue of security and safety of journalists and media personnel in the country with persons like Minister Wike in the government."
World bodies urged to sanction Wike
In the same vein, the Conference called on the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the Arab World, and other international bodies to take action.
They urged the imposition of sanctions, including a visa ban on Wike, "for his resort to violent threats on a journalist."
Source: Facebook
The statement concluded:
"The CP-PDP calls on Nigerians to hold Minister Wike responsible should any harm whatsoever befall Mr. Okinbaloye or any other journalist before, during or after the 2027 general elections."
The CP-PDP’s full statement, shared on X, can be read below:
Wike’s threat called hyperbolic
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on public communications to Wike, said his principal’s comment about Okinbaloye was in a “hyperbolic context”.
In a statement, Olayinka said Wike and Okinbaloye spoke on the telephone over the comment.
Clarifying Wike’s comment, Olayinka said the minister did not have the intention to shoot Okinbaloye, noting that he was only angry that the journalist acted like an “interested party” in the ADC leadership crisis.
Source: Legit.ng
