Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and activist Aisha Yesufu have engaged in a public exchange of words following controversy surrounding her unsuccessful bid to secure the senatorial ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the FCT.
Yesufu, who joined the NDC from the African Democratic Congress, had declared her interest in the senatorial race on May 6. However, she later announced on Friday that the party would not be holding primaries for the FCT Senate seat, a development that effectively ended her aspiration.
Speaking at a luncheon for candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike took a swipe at the activist, suggesting that despite her outspoken reputation, she failed to secure even a party ticket in a relatively smaller political contest.
He mocked her chances, implying that someone who frequently criticises political office holders could not succeed in what he described as a basic internal party process.
According to Wike, “There’s one woman who said Wike is an appointee of government and that she has no business with appointees. You speak grammar, speak grammar.
“Ordinary primary of NDC, not APC or PDP, just ordinary NDC, what happened? She didn’t make it.
“It’s easy for people to talk. When they enter into those media houses, they begin to churn out data from nowhere.
“Now, the time for data has come. What happened? ‘Fa fa fa foul. It didn’t work.”
In a swift response via her official X handle on Sunday, Yesufu fired back at the minister, challenging him to mention her name directly and accusing him of political inconsistency.
She also referenced Wike’s past political struggles, alleging that he himself had previously failed to secure certain party positions and had worked under political arrangements that contradicted his current criticisms of others.
Yesufu stated that Wike’s remarks reflected desperation, adding that his political history did not place him in a position to mock others.
She further insisted that she would respond more fully if the minister directly mentioned her name, while maintaining that she and others from her region would not be intimidated by political attacks.