- He particularly chided Mike Ozekhome, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former senator and activist, Shehu Sani, for their speech saying they were cynical and pessimistic.
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed his displeasure at the narrative being peddled by some persons about the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
Wike wondered why Nigeria receives so much flak and criticism for how the affairs of the country has been run under civilian government without any mention of the progress and inroads made under democratic rule.
He spoke at an event with the theme “25 Years of Unbroken Democracy – Challenges, Prospects and Possibilities” in Abuja, on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, Wike, who was an awardee at This Nigeria Lecture and Award, said previous speakers acted as if there has been no gain for the country under democracy.
He particularly chided Mike Ozekhome, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former senator and activist, Shehu Sani, for their speech saying they were cynical and pessimistic.
He said a lot has been achieved during democratic rule in Nigeria.
“Ladies and gentlemen, yes I am an awardee but also a Nigerian. It will be wrong sitting here without correcting some impressions. We are talking about 25 years of democracy; we know we have challenges. I expected the lecturer to also speak of progress. But the lecture was just about criticism, nothing was said about progress. Are you telling me that no single progress was made? We can say there is progress but there’s need for improvement.
“Just like Shehu Sanu said they were locked up and detained. But that doesn’t happen under this democracy; that’s progress. You have spoken about infrastructural development in FCT, that’s progress. So I just said I should say the fact. And again, the fact that you people are activists does not mean that you would do well in power. Activists have failed.”
Pointing towards Shehu Sani, Wike asked, “When you were in Senate, how did you perform?”
Then to Ozekhome, he asked, “As an activist, how many times have you rejected briefs? Those who rigged election, how many times have you defended them? It’s not about postulating all the time.”
Sani and Ozekhome did not have the time to react to Wike.