Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says rumours about his collapse and treatment abroad are baseless and diversionary.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday after an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects slated for commissioning in May to commemorate President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary in office, Wike denied the claims, saying that they were untrue.
The minister attributed the spread of the rumours to political machinations, pointing to those he alleged, sought to divert attention from serious allegations of planned attacks on national assets, including the Rivers house of assembly complex as revealed by a former head of service of the state government.
“What happened was that the former head of service of Rivers state government came out to let the public know what was going on about a plan to bomb the house of assembly complex and attack national assets,” Wike said.
“To divert the attention of people from focusing on that, they had to bring up rumours that I had been flown overseas. There was never a time I collapsed, there was never a time anybody took me overseas,”
The minister said he is focused on his job of providing good governance in the FCT and would not be distracted by such unfounded rumours.
Barr. Wike emphasised his continued public engagements, citing his presence at the president’s Iftar programme and his leading of Abuja residents during the Sallah homage to the State House as evidence of his robust health.
“You see me every day. The day Mr. President broke Iftar during his birthday, I was there. The next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage. I see so many stories online, this is politics. Those things don’t bother us. We are not distracted. We are focused on our jobs,” he said.
He thanked Nigerians for their concern but cautioned against wishing ill health on others, reiterating that only God determines the time of one’s passing.
“I thank Nigerians for showing concern, but people should not wish their fellow human beings such a thing to happen,” Wike said.
“We know that we will die one day, nobody will remain in this world forever, but it’s only God who determines the day you will die. No human being can say you will die today or tomorrow.
“So, don’t bother yourself, I’m very agile and I can assure you that I will write the condolence letters for those peddling these rumours.”
