'You Claim Wike Is Not Qualified to Be Minister, But FCT Was Built from The Wealth of Niger Delta' - Ekpoko Slams Gumi

Chairman of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, IloT, in Delta State, and senior attorney, Edward Ekpoko has berated Islamic cleric, Ahmed Gumi and a few other Muslim leaders, chastising President Bola Tinubu for appointing Nyesom Wike as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He insisted that it is an insult to say that Wike is not eligible to be the Minister of FCT because he is from the Niger Delta.

Speaking with Newsmen on Saturday, Ekpoko argued that Wike's attackers are simply using diversionary tactics.

He asserted that the FCT was built from proceeds derived from the oil in the Niger Delta.

Ekpoko stated that the FCT is for all Nigerians and any qualified Nigeria can become its Minister.

He said, "It is an insult to say that Nyesom Wike from the Niger Delta cannot be the Minister of the FCT, whereas Nigeria built the FCT from proceeds of oil derived from the Niger Delta.

"The skyscrapers, bridges, flyovers, and other critical infrastructures in the FCT, including Abuja, rest on a foundation of environmental degradation and exploitation of the Niger Delta people through years of oil exploration of their land. Abuja's development is at the expense of the Niger Delta people.

"I have not seen the video clip, but if it is true, then Sheikh Gumi and his co-travelers got it wrong.

"The FCT, including Abuja is for all Nigerians. Any qualified Nigerian nay Niger Delta region can be Minister of the FCT, and Nyesom Wike is qualified.

"I must commend President Tinubu for Wike's appointment, and it is my view that, henceforth, the office of the Minister of the FCT should be made rotational among the geopolitical zones to erase this erroneous belief that it is a prerogative of the North.

"Nyesom Wike, so far, has performed well and taken some bold steps, which previous administrations did not dare. The ongoing demand for payment of the long outstanding and/or forgotten ground rent or risk revocation and putting Abuja on course by abiding by the original master plan are some of his impressive early steps."