Nigeria: 'Hope Wike Won't Demolish PDP Secretariat', Reactions Trail Portfolios of Ministers

16 August 2023

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday unveiled the portfolios of his ministers.

Tinubu appointed former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Festus Keyamo, Aviation Minister.

As expected, the portfolios have attracted mixed and diverse reactions from Nigerians on social media.

While some are happy with the appointments, others are critical of the portfolios some got.

One of the ministers who is trending on social media is Wike, who contested the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

He had indicated interest in emerging presidential running mate but Atiku overlooked him. The new FCT Minister had drawn the battle line with the opposition party since then.

In a post via X, formally Twitter, Joe Abah, a former director-general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, said Wike as FCT minister would make the city centre bubble at night.

"If it's true that Wike is the new FCT Minister, it would mean that he'll be the first southerner to be FCT Minister. It will also mean that his band is back with a bang. Abuja gardens will no longer need to close by 7pm because Wike will come with his 40-year-old whiskey."

Writing via @adeniyisegun114, one Adeniyi Seugun, said he would not be surprised if Wike orders the demolition of PDP national secretariat.

"I won't be surprised if @GovWike ended up demolishing the @OfficialPDPNig unfinished national secretariat," @adeniyisegun114.

Below are other reactions to the portfolios:

@lukziz: "This is like the most disappointing ministerial list i have seen in the 24 years of democracy in this country... I don't think the president really mean "renewed hope" for a common man maybe the renewal of hope is for the political cronies, because they are the one sharing things."

@medley_poetic: "You'd never see him appoints a petroleum minister. Reserved because it's where the money is. You can only have someone like Peter Obi appoint a technocrat as petroleum minister because he is not the usual Nigerian politician that sees leadership position as pocket enriching."

@amakvitaa: "Mr Tinubu is really preparing for a rerun election, Nysom wike to generate 25% in FCT as Minister of FCT with the usual Rivers State Abracadabra, Nice move."

@MichaelOkwegba: "With Umahi as Minister of Works and Wike as FCT MINISTER Nigeria will now feel the Ebonyi and Rivers magic. I expect the FCT and federal roads all around the country to look very different in the next 36 months. May the good Lord strengthen them to deliver quality services."

@Musa$Adam: "Allocating Portfolios to Ministers is not the end of Nigerian's problems, Let us continue to pray the Almighty Allah to bring ease to our sufferings and make their assignments successful and implementable to put the Nation in their mind not what they will get as reward of their."

@oJ_osas: "Two ministers for agriculture, water resources, housing and urban development, steel development, and one minister of sport. We have been having these ministers for years. What have they been doing? And what are these ones going to do differently to bring about positive impact?"

@fatiabdullah: "One very big joke here is that Heineken is back as a minister of state. Let's see how he plays his cards for the next gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa."

@matajson: "If they don't end up being sacked by the court, I am looking forward to these folks: Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy - Bosun Tijani."

@Saleem_dra: "So Tinubu sacrificed Elrufai because of some selfish self-serving interest of some cabals. Kaduna gets a useless Ministry of Environment instead. Time is a judge."

@sama_on_point: "PBAT deploying Dele Alake to Solid Minerals is similar to a Coach deploying Messi at Leftback or Ronaldo at Rightback!!! APPALLING! Asiwaju just go waste Dele Alake slot for Solid Minerals!"

@FidosMyke: "I thought Keyamo said Min of State is an illegal portfolio, why is PBAT making the same error, does that mean nobody around him to call his attention to it or still the same old ways of compensating political allies?"

@Primus_unbound: "Bello Matawalle as Minister of State Defense? Someone who couldn't handle bandits in his own state? I could laugh if it wouldn't hurt so much."

@Bojake_Treeman: "Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo??? what does that nigga know about aviation except plane fly go wooooossh?"

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