“Wike Looting Abuja Lands to Fund Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign” – Timi Frank

Timi Frank, a former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of illegally allocating Abuja lands to family members, political allies, and cronies in a bid to finance President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign. Frank made the allegation in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, expressing concern over what he described as a “national scandal” involving Wike’s misuse of office for political patronage.

While President Tinubu has not officially declared interest in running for a second term, Frank questioned the president’s silence on the allegations, calling it deeply troubling and suggestive of tacit approval. He warned that Tinubu’s failure to address the issue could severely damage his administration’s credibility. “If these actions by the FCT minister go unchecked, they will tarnish the President’s image and administration,” Frank said.

Frank further alleged that Wike’s land allocations had included the revocation of plots from legitimate owners, including an embassy, to favor his associates. He criticized the country’s anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, ICPC, and the police, for failing to probe the matter, adding that the National Assembly had also failed in its oversight role.

He argued that such disregard for due process would deter both local and international investors, ultimately harming the FCT’s development and Nigeria’s economy. Drawing a comparison with the swift removal of former humanitarian affairs minister Betta Edu over corruption allegations, Frank questioned why Wike remained untouched. “This clearly shows that you are either a beneficiary of Wike’s land grabbing spree or an accomplice by your refusal to act,” he said, addressing President Tinubu directly.

Frank called for Wike’s immediate resignation to pave the way for an independent investigation into what he described as egregious abuses of office. Efforts to reach the FCT minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered and a text message remained undelivered at the time of filing this report.

An earlier investigation had revealed that Wike was allocating prime land in the capital to political associates and relatives, fueling further public scrutiny.