Human rights lawyer and counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on President Bola Tinubu to halt the monthly media chats hosted by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement released on Tuesday, June 3, Ejiofor described the media engagements as “wasteful and extravagant,” claiming they offer no real value to Nigerians beyond allowing the minister to “grandstand on national issues.”
He expressed concern over reports that hundreds of millions of naira are being allocated monthly for Wike’s media appearances, describing it as insensitive in the face of widespread economic hardship.
“As millions of Nigerians battle record inflation, stagnant wages, and deepening poverty, it is unconscionable that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly spends hundreds of millions of naira monthly on an ostentatious media chat – an exercise that offers little substance and reeks of misplaced priorities,” the statement read.
Ejiofor criticised the programme as a tone-deaf misuse of public funds in a country where many live below the poverty line.
“Framed as a public engagement, this monthly spectacle is anything but a tone-deaf misuse of public funds – especially in a country where many survive on less than $2 a day, and access to basic healthcare, education, and shelter remains a daily struggle,” he said.
He argued that the money spent on just one edition of the media chat could provide critical interventions.
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“To illustrate the waste: The cost of one media edition could fund emergency relief and shelter for thousands displaced by the recent floods in Niger State.
“It could refurbish crumbling primary schools, equip rural clinics, or sustain nutrition programs in IDP camps for several months,” he noted.
Ejiofor added that the optics are “disheartening” and the implications even more damaging for a country in need of responsible governance.
“Nigerians are not asking for a televised circus – Nigerians are crying out for competent governance, prudent spending, and people-centred leadership,” he said.
He urged Tinubu to act swiftly to end what he called “flamboyance and fanfare.”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must take urgent action: call the FCT Minister to order, halt this wasteful spending, and redirect focus to service delivery.
“This is not a time for flamboyance and fanfare. It is a moment that demands humility, responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. Nigeria deserves better. The time to act is now,” Ejiofor stated.