By Otunba Dare Adelekan
The alliance between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has become one of the most intriguing and contentious political narratives of the “Renewed Hope” administration. For many Nigerians, this relationship is a microcosm of the very contradictions and challenges plaguing our democracy.
On the one hand, a strong case can be made for President Tinubu’s support of Wike. As FCT Minister, Wike has been lauded for his aggressive approach to infrastructure development. The speed at which he has rehabilitated roads, completed long-abandoned projects, and launched new initiatives in Abuja is undeniable. For a president who has anchored his agenda on improving infrastructure and governance, Wike’s performance provides tangible evidence that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” is not just a slogan. President Tinubu’s public commendations of Wike can, therefore, be seen as a strategic endorsement of performance and a signal that merit—even from an opposition party member—is valued.
However, this narrative of performance and pragmatism is only one side of the coin. For a vast number of Nigerians, particularly those observing the political drama in Rivers State, President Tinubu’s unwavering support for Wike feels less like a reward for competence and more like a return on political investment.
It is no secret that Nyesom Wike played a pivotal role in the 2023 presidential election. His decision to break ranks with his own party and support the APC’s candidate was a game-changer. His subsequent appointment to the powerful FCT portfolio, bypassing many loyal APC members, solidified the perception that this was a political transaction.
The unfolding crisis in Rivers State, where Wike’s political godson-turned-opponent, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has been locked in a bitter power struggle with the FCT Minister’s loyalists, has brought this arrangement into sharp focus. The public and media have watched with dismay as Wike, a federal minister, is seen to be actively orchestrating the political destabilization of a state he no longer governs. The perception of an “untouchable” figure, operating with impunity, threatens to undermine the very principles of democracy and the rule of law that the Tinubu administration professes to uphold.
The President’s public praise for Wike, even as the Rivers State crisis deepens, sends a confusing message. It suggests that political loyalty and a transactional alliance are more important than peace and stability in a crucial South-South state. It creates a narrative that powerful figures can act with disregard for democratic norms as long as they serve the President’s political interests.
This is where the “Renewed Hope” agenda is most vulnerable. While the President is implementing difficult economic reforms and pushing for infrastructural renewal, the perception of political patronage and “shenanigans” erodes public trust. Nigerians are looking for a break from the past—a new political order where governance is guided by principles, not just by political calculations.
President Tinubu’s legacy will not be defined solely by the roads and bridges built in Abuja. It will be judged by the extent to which his administration upholds democratic principles, ensures the rule of law, and demonstrates that no one, regardless of their political utility, is above the law. In the complex dance between President Tinubu and Nyesom Wike, the test is not just about competence, but about character and the true meaning of “Renewed Hope.”
THE TINUBU-WIKE ALLIANCE
