CRP rejects calls for Wike’s dismissal, defends FCT minister

The Concerned Rivers People (CRP), a grassroots advocacy group, has criticised calls for the removal of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.

The calls, made by activists Deji Adeyanju and Martins Otsei, popularly known as Very Dark Man (VDM), have sparked controversy, with CRP describing the demands as misleading and lacking in administrative understanding.

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Residents of the Ruga community in Abuja, where over 10,000 persons have been allegedly displaced in the ongoing demolition of ‘illegal’ structures by the FCT               administration, recently lamented their poor living conditions in the wake of the demolitions.

In a trending video posted on X by social media activist, VeryDarkMan on Friday, the allegedly displaced residents of the community, were seen calling on the FCT minister to rescind his decision which has rendered them homeless.

Earlier on Friday, protesters, led by Adeyanju, had accused Wike’s task force, known as “Operation Sweep,” of heavy-handed tactics that have left scores of residents homeless. Adeyanju condemned the demolition, alleging that homes were razed and property worth millions destroyed.

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But in a statement signed by its Director of Communication, Robinson Uke, CRP maintained that Adeyanju and Otsei should be aware that governance is a serious endeavour, not an avenue for “comedy” or “unfounded stories.”

The group argued that Wike’s recent demolition of illegal structures in Abuja followed due process, with residents being given adequate notice to vacate affected areas. According to Uke, the activists failed to investigate whether the demolished structures encroached on the Abuja Master Plan, instead creating a “wrong impression” that the land would be transferred to developers.

“Administration is not child’s play, nor is it the act of writing unfounded stories in the name of activism,” Uke declared. “Government actions, including the FCT demolition exercise, follow due process. This attempt to cause disaffection between the president and the FCT minister is misplaced.”

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The CRP statement underscored Wike’s commitment to upholding the law and “authoritative allocation of scarce resources” as the top official in the FCT. Wike’s track record of impartial decision-making, including in matters involving relatives, demonstrates a governance style that avoids “sentiment-based” choices, Uke added.

Asserting that governance requires “serious-minded people,” CRP advised Adeyanju and VDM to “take their stunts elsewhere” and encouraged the public to ignore criticisms of the FCT minister’s administrative choices. The statement concluded with a call for the activists to abandon what it characterised as “bread and butter activism,” instead urging Nigerians to respect laws and regulations for the greater good.