According to Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, the minister is not shocked by remarks made recently by Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, regarding Wike’s encounter with a naval officer in Abuja.
The fight between Wike and the navy commander presented a “clear and present danger to national security,” according to a statement Buratai issued on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday.
He said that Wike’s actions weakened military discipline and the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, calling them “an attack on the foundation of national order” and “a public humiliation of a soldier.”
The minister responded to Buratai’s comments on Wednesday in a conversation with Olayinka, pointing out that the retired general is a friend of Rotimi Amaechi, the former minister of transportation and Wike’s predecessor as governor of Rivers State.
“Buratai spoke in a political manner. He is currently involved in politics. Rotimi Amaechi’s spokeswoman is Buratai. He served as Amaechi’s DG throughout the 2023 presidential campaign. You are aware that Wike and Amaechi are diametrically opposed. What do you think Buratai will say, then? Olayinka stated.
He continued by saying that Wike’s camp is “not surprised by the statement he made” because Buratai has now entered the political sphere.
According to reports, the confrontation took place in Abuja when Wike approached a naval commander about problems with traffic control and enforcement in the city. The public’s response to the incident, which was caught on camera and went viral, was divided; some supported the minister’s insistence on maintaining law and order, while others criticized his strategy as being overbearing.
In recent years, Lt. Gen. Buratai (rtd), who was President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, has remained involved in politics, most notably as Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi’s presidential campaign organization during the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.
Wike and Amaechi, two of Rivers State’s most powerful politicians, have a long-standing political rivalry that has influenced the state’s political climate for more than ten years. The revived conversation adds another level to this competition.
