The African Democratic Congress and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have strongly condemned comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over a controversial remark directed at Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye.
The backlash followed Wike’s statement during a live media chat in which he said he “would have shot” the television anchor over comments made on a political programme.
The remark has since drawn widespread criticism from political actors and civil society groups concerned about press freedom.
The controversy began during a live edition of Politics Today, where Okinbaloye raised concerns about what he described as a growing trend toward a one-party state in Nigeria.
His observation, made in the context of internal disputes within the ADC and electoral developments, triggered a sharp reaction from the minister.
“I am particularly pained because when one party stands in the middle of a ballot, we are looking for the rest of the political parties,” Okinbaloye said during the programme. “If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically.”
Responding a day later, Wike expressed anger over the journalist’s position, stating: “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.
”How can an interviewer say we cannot allow a one-party state?”
He later clarified that the comment was not intended as a literal threat but was borne out of frustration.
Reacting to the statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi described the remark as irresponsible and unacceptable, warning that such rhetoric undermines democratic values and freedom of expression.
“Wike threatening to shoot Seun Okinbaloye for doing his job as a journalist is irresponsible and unacceptable.
”This must be condemned by all lovers of freedom of speech,” Abdullahi said.
Similarly, Atiku Abubakar, through his media office, issued a statement condemning the minister’s comment, describing it as reckless and dangerous.
“The Atiku Media Office condemns, in the most forceful and unequivocal terms, the disgraceful threat issued by the FCT Minister against a frontline journalist,” the statement read.
“For a serving minister to publicly declare on live television that he wished to shoot a journalist over a professional opinion is not just reckless, it is a chilling signal.”
The statement also argued that such language reflects a broader pattern of intolerance toward dissent, warning that it poses a threat to democratic principles and press freedom in Nigeria.
“What crime did Mr. Okinbaloye commit? He warned against the creeping danger of a one-party state.
”For this, a minister responded not with reason, but with a threat of violence,” it added.
Atiku also called on Wike to issue an immediate and unconditional apology to the journalist and the media community, while urging the administration of Bola Tinubu to clearly distance itself from the remark and guarantee the safety of journalists.
He warned that failure to do so would reinforce fears of increasing intolerance and repression, insisting that “the press will not be cowed, and truth will not be silenced by threats.”
The incident has also attracted criticism from international and local organisations, including Amnesty International and the International Press Institute, both of which have raised concerns about the implications of such statements for media freedom and democratic governance.
