Oriontimes Political Desk|September 10, 2026
Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has praised the work ethic of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while expressing strong reservations about the minister’s public statements and political style.
Adebayo made the remarks during a recent interview, where he assessed Wike’s performance in office and his influence on Nigeria’s political landscape.
According to Adebayo, Wike has distinguished himself through his commitment to infrastructure development in the Federal Capital Territory, noting that the minister's visible projects have contributed to improvements in transportation and daily life for residents.
“I respect Wike for one thing: that he has a good work ethic. He can work,” Adebayo said.
The SDP chieftain argued that if commissioners of works across Nigeria's states matched the pace of development being witnessed in the FCT, the country would record greater progress in infrastructure delivery.
He acknowledged concerns that some projects could be expensive and may raise questions about value for money but maintained that significant work is taking place under the minister's watch.
Speaking from his perspective as an FCT resident, Adebayo said ongoing projects have made movement easier and improved conditions in parts of the nation's capital.
Despite the commendation, the SDP presidential candidate criticised what he described as Wike's approach to political communication and the exercise of state power.
In a remark that has attracted public attention, Adebayo said that if he were to appoint Wike into his administration, he would place “sellotape” over the minister's mouth to limit some of his public utterances.
He argued that while effective governance requires strong leadership and results, public officials should exercise restraint in their rhetoric and avoid glorifying force or the power of government institutions.
Adebayo further described Wike as a “bad example for Nigerian politics” in that regard, stressing the need for political leaders to promote democratic values, civility, and responsible public engagement.
The comments add to ongoing national conversations about governance, leadership styles, infrastructure development, and the role of public communication in Nigeria's political space.
Neither Wike nor the Federal Capital Territory Administration had publicly responded to Adebayo's remarks as of the time of filing this report.
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