News
Wike won’t respond to ‘Yahoo Yahoo activists’ – Aide
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed criticisms from individuals described as “hustlers masquerading as activists,” vowing not to be distracted by their antics.
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the FCT Minister, in a statement on Saturday, accused certain critics of operating as “professional scammers” who thrive on blackmailing public officials.
Olayinka alleged that the ongoing backlash against Wike stems from the minister’s refusal to yield to their demands for patronage.
“While growing up in Okemesi Ekiti, my grandfather taught me never to wrestle with pigs because, at the end of the fight, sane minds won’t be able to differentiate between you and the pig,” Olayinka said. “As a matter of principle, we won’t dignify some people with a response.”
Olayinka accused some self-styled activists of exploiting their platforms for personal gain, including misappropriating funds and leveraging blackmail schemes to extort public officials.
“Some of these so-called activists jump from one platform to another because Wike has refused to play their ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ games. Their tactics are simple: make noise in the media or organize protests, then send emissaries to negotiate payments. Once paid, they move on to their next targets,” he claimed.
Citing personal encounters, Olayinka recounted how, in 2016, an individual approached him during his bid for the National Publicity Secretary position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a proposition to monetize activism by attacking public officials.
“Today, that same individual parades himself as an activist. But Wike is not someone who plays their games, and that’s why they are frustrated,” Olayinka added.
Addressing allegations of land grabbing against Wike, Olayinka challenged accusers to present evidence. He argued that the ongoing removal of shanties in the FCT, which some have criticized as land grabbing, was necessary for public safety.
“Calling the removal of shanties that pose security threats ‘land grabbing’ is an indication of wasted education,” he said. “People occupied lands without authorization, built houses under trees using planks and tarpaulins, and turned them into settlements. These are not legitimate claims to land.”
Citing the case of a shanty in Wuye near a residential estate and rail line, Olayinka said the occupants admitted they had no authority to occupy the land and acknowledged that the settlement had been cleared 22 times under previous administrations.
“Their only request was relocation, and their representatives met with the FCT Ministry on Tuesday. If this is what these hustler-activists are labeling as land grabbing, I pity those who still believe in their credibility,” he stated.
President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.
Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.
During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.
Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.
“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.
“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.
The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.
For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.
He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.
He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.
President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.
Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.
The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.
He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.
Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
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