Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a fierce response to individuals spreading rumours of his ill-health, declaring that those wishing him dead will die before him.
The minister, who spoke on Thursday in Abuja during the flag-off ceremony for the construction of the Arterial Road N1 from Wuye District to Ring Road II, stated that it was his prayer to be the one to sign their condolence registers.
“Before I know it, I was here, but they said they were sick. And here, they said they have heart attack. God will continue to help them to have heart attack. It is my prayer. I will sign the condolences. It’s my prayer,” Wike said.
His comments came amid rumours circulating on social media about his health, which he dismissed as false and politically motivated.
“You see, the level of this country where we are, we play politics with everything. How somebody can sit down, just say all kinds of things.
“Where the people saw me, I don’t know. The hospital you saw me, I do not know. And yet, we are all happy living in social media,” he said.
Reflecting on the demanding nature of his office, Wike detailed his relentless work schedule since his appointment, stating he has forgone holidays and even worked while travelling.
“Since I took this appointment of minister, I have never had time to travel out to say, okay, go on holidays. Each time I travel, I go with files. I go with CFOs to make sure that the work is done in the late,” he explained.
He advised public servants to prioritise their health, noting that the system would continue with or without them.
“You know, this job we are doing, there are people waiting for you. The day you drop, they will announce another minister. So, you must make sure while you are working, you also take time out and relax,” he said.
The minister also took aim at the culture of unchecked criticism on social media, using a comparison with the United States to make his point.
“This is a country where somebody on social media will say, ‘Mr. President is a criminal.’ Nothing will happen. No matter how you see people criticise Trump, have you ever seen any American citizen on the social media, on the public say, look, our president is a criminal? Have you ever heard that?” he said.
He concluded by stating that Nigerians were lucky to have a president who believed in the rule of law, implying that such inflammatory statements would have severe consequences elsewhere.
The event itself focused on the launch of the new arterial road, a project aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving infrastructure in the nation’s capital city.
