Politics

Will Tinubu Rise to Wike’s Challenge?

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 29th, 2025.

Will Tinubu Rise to Wike’s Challenge?

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

A political storm is brewing in Nigeria’s capital, and at the heart of it is a high-stakes dare from Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wike is demanding the public release of the long-suppressed forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and he’s staked his job on it.

The minister recently alleged, during his now-regular media chat, that Judith Amaechi—the wife of his former political ally-turned-rival, Rotimi Amaechi—was receiving a staggering ₦4 billion monthly from the NDDC via her NGO. Wike insisted that the forensic audit ordered under the Buhari administration backs up his claim, and boldly declared that he would resign from Tinubu’s cabinet if the report fails to prove his allegations.

This isn’t just political drama. It’s a moment of reckoning—not just for Wike, but for the President himself. Wike’s challenge tests the Tinubu administration’s stated commitment to accountability and transparency. If the report clears Judith Amaechi, Wike’s honor is on the line. If it doesn’t, questions will loom even larger over past and present officeholders.

Judith Amaechi, through her spokesperson, fired back swiftly. She challenged Wike to produce evidence—his own version of the audit if necessary—proving she or her NGO, Empowerment Support Initiative, benefited illegally from the NDDC. She, too, demanded the report be made public. Her call echoes what many Nigerians have been saying for years: release the audit, let the truth speak for itself.

The demand for transparency isn’t new. Back in 2020, the NDDC found itself at the center of a massive controversy. During a parliamentary hearing, then-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio stunned the public by claiming most contracts in the agency were awarded to lawmakers. His revelations prompted the now-famous outburst from the committee chairman: “Honourable minister, it’s okay! Off your mic!”—a phrase that has since become a part of Nigerian political vocabulary.

And who could forget the spectacle of Kemebradikumo Pondei, then-acting NDDC boss, fainting mid-testimony as he faced questions over the alleged misuse of over ₦80 billion? That dramatic episode ended any meaningful investigation, and many saw it as a calculated escape from accountability.

The NDDC, conceived to bring development to the oil-rich Niger Delta, has instead become a cautionary tale of how public institutions can be reduced to vehicles for corruption. Billions have vanished under vague headings of “empowerment” and “development.” The forensic audit ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari was supposed to be a game-changer. Instead, it has vanished into obscurity—its contents known only to a few.

Wike’s ultimatum has brought this hidden document back into the spotlight. But the question remains: will Tinubu take up the challenge?

For a president who promised a fresh start under the banner of “Renewed Hope,” this is a litmus test. Making the audit public would demonstrate a true break from the past and show that even allies and loyalists are not immune to scrutiny. It would also send a strong signal to Nigerians that this administration values transparency over political convenience.

If Wike’s claims are proven, then accountability must follow. If not, then Wike must be held to his word and exit his ministerial post. Either outcome would affirm that Nigeria is a country governed by truth and consequences.

On the other hand, remaining silent—or burying the audit deeper—will only reinforce public cynicism. Nigerians are tired of anti-corruption rhetoric that leads nowhere. They want action, not theatre.

Civil society groups, including SERAP, have already turned to the ECOWAS Court to compel the government to act. The international community and stakeholders in the Niger Delta are watching. So are millions of ordinary citizens, weary of promises and tired of delays.

This wouldn’t be the first time a government has shelved a major report. In 2014, the Jonathan administration spent over ₦10 billion on a national conference that produced hundreds of policy recommendations. Nothing came of it. Four years later, the APC government formed a committee on true federalism, led by former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai. That report, too, remains untouched.

The late legal luminary Ladi Rotimi-Williams once described Nigeria as “a government of the committee, by the committee, and for the committee.” His words ring painfully true. Successive governments are quick to form panels and committees, only to dump their findings into political cold storage. What purpose do these costly exercises serve if their recommendations are never acted upon?

Now, President Tinubu faces a defining choice. He can release the NDDC forensic audit report and send a clear message that his administration will not shield anyone from scrutiny. Or he can keep silent—and risk being remembered as just another leader who chose politics over principle.

The ball is in his court. Nigerians are waiting.