Dan Osa-Ogbegie, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, has described FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s actions as a risk to Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Gossip News Now had earlier reported that tensions flared on Tuesday in Abuja when soldiers stopped Wike and his entourage from accessing a plot of land in the Gaduwa district.
The incident escalated after armed personnel barred the former Rivers State governor from entering the property, prompting protests from officials accompanying him.
Wike, visibly frustrated, challenged the soldiers for denying him access, emphasizing that no individual is above the law.
In a statement shared with Gossip News Now , Osa-Ogbegie labelled Wike as a politician whose relentless pursuit of relevance can endanger the nation, warning that personal theatrics like his threaten the foundations of democracy.
He added that Wike appears unable to separate authority from decorum.
Osa-Ogbegie further noted that the minister’s behaviour serves as an early indicator of arrogance — the type that has historically led countries into disorder.
Full Statement on Nyesom Wike’s Conduct
The statement reads:
“Recent developments have stripped away any remaining illusion that Wike’s political actions are motivated by service or principle. His public confrontation with a senior military officer in Abuja over a parcel of land, widely circulated on video, was not only humiliating but also revealed a deeper issue: a man intoxicated by unchecked power. At a time when Nigeria is recovering from rumors of an attempted coup, and every institution must exercise restraint to maintain national stability, Wike’s audacity in challenging a serving officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces was profoundly irresponsible. In a delicate democracy balancing civil authority with military loyalty, such behavior is reckless and incendiary.
“The threat Wike poses extends beyond public outbursts. He has become a suffocating force within his own political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the platform that brought him prominence and power. Obsessed with control, he has attempted to paralyse the PDP, leaving it in limbo until he decides to resurrect it for personal gain after 2027. Party structures across the country loyal to him have been transformed into tools of intimidation, suppressing dissent and fostering disunity. Like someone who would rather destroy his own home than allow another to occupy it, Wike’s politics is steeped in vanity and vengeance. He appears determined to keep the PDP incapacitated, a hostage to his personal ambitions.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must take note. Those who indulge impunity for temporary advantage often pay the price later. Wike’s overbearing behavior is not loyalty; it is opportunism disguised in borrowed colours. His current association with the ruling APC is tactical, serving as a shield from accountability and a vehicle for reinvention when convenient. History is full of men who mistook proximity for permanence and access for alliance. Wike is like dynamite in a matchbox — loud, volatile, and oblivious to consequences. Allowing him unchecked freedom endangers both the party and the nation.
“For someone charged with stewardship of the nation’s capital, Wike has demonstrated shocking insensitivity to the nation’s pulse. Instead of humility, we see arrogance; instead of service, provocation; instead of statesmanship, self-adoration. His conduct erodes the principles of dialogue, tolerance, and respect that underpin democratic governance. In a country already strained by insecurity, ethnic tension, and economic pressures, Nigeria cannot afford a minister who treats governance as a platform for ego battles. Democracy thrives on restraint, empathy, and adherence to process — not threats and theatrics.
“Wike’s actions are a warning sign — the type of arrogance that has historically destabilized nations. If unchecked, his political recklessness could trigger consequences far beyond the PDP. He embodies what happens when power loses its moral compass. If President Tinubu, the ruling party, and Nigeria’s democratic institutions are committed to safeguarding the fragile peace we have, they must not mistake Wike’s recklessness for bravery. It is not bravery; it is dangerous folly amplified by a microphone.
“Democracy cannot coexist with the tyranny of ego. Unless Wike learns this lesson, or is made to learn it by those who still care for the republic, Nigeria risks discovering that a man once tolerated for spectacle has become the architect of a new national instability.”
