FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike
Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has questioned the cost of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike’s live media chats, demanding transparency over the funds used for the broadcasts.
Ibe raised the concerns in a statement following Wike’s latest live television appearance involving several broadcast stations, including Arise, Channels Television, TVC, News Central, AIT, JDK, Aso TV & Radio, and ADBN.
According to Ibe, the cost of airing such programmes across multiple stations could run into hundreds of millions of naira, depending on the duration and charges paid by each station.
He estimated that if stations charge between ₦10 million and ₦20 million per hour, an eight-station broadcast lasting two hours could cost between ₦160 million and ₦320 million for one session.
Ibe further argued that repeated monthly broadcasts could amount to billions of naira annually, urging the FCT Administration to disclose details of the spending.
“FCT residents deserve to know how much is being spent on these broadcasts and how much airtime is devoted to FCT development, rather than Wike’s political disagreements with Atiku, Amaechi, Obi, ADC and NDC,” he said.
The Atiku aide acknowledged that public officials have the responsibility to explain their activities to citizens but insisted that public resources must be used strictly for public interest.
“There is nothing wrong with a minister explaining his stewardship. But public resources must serve public purposes, not personal political battles,” Ibe stated.
He questioned whether issues discussed during the broadcasts focus more on governance and development challenges in Abuja or political exchanges involving opposition figures.
“Atiku and Amaechi are not infrastructure projects. ADC and NDC are not departments of the FCT Administration,” he added.
Ibe also called on Wike to release details of the broadcast arrangements, including the stations paid, amounts involved, sources of funding and the budget lines used for the payments.
“Minister Wike, publish the invoices. Identify the stations paid, the amounts, the funding sources and the relevant budget lines,” he demanded.
The statement comes amid continued political disagreements between Wike and several opposition figures, as the FCT Administration highlights ongoing projects and reforms in Abuja.
Wike, who was appointed FCT Minister by President Bola Tinubu, has regularly used media platforms to discuss developments in the territory and respond to criticism from political opponents.
The controversy has renewed conversations about accountability, transparency and the use of public funds for government communication activities.
Ibe maintained that Abuja residents deserve clarity on whether government resources are being used for public enlightenment or political publicity.
