The Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has said that his principal will not engage in a verbal exchange with former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, over comments he made concerning Wike’s recent encounter with a naval officer in Abuja.
Chidoka, in a statement on Tuesday, had called on Wike to apologise to the officer involved in the confrontation that occurred at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja. The incident reportedly arose from a dispute over the ownership of a parcel of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
The former aviation minister, while faulting Wike’s conduct, stated that public officials must exercise authority through proper institutional channels rather than through personal confrontation. He added that Wike’s behaviour undermines the principles of democratic governance and respect for constituted authority.
Reacting in a chat on Wednesday, Olayinka said the minister would not dignify Chidoka’s comments with a response, alleging that the former minister has lost credibility.
“The moment some people do this overnight law, they think they know more than others. I don’t have any response to Osita Chidoka’s statement. He lost every sense of dignity the moment he started jumping from one party to another, looking for a governorship that he never got,” Olayinka stated.
He added that his decision not to respond to Chidoka’s remarks during a live appearance on Channels Television earlier in the day was intentional.
“When I was on Channels Television this morning and the issue was raised, I didn’t respond to Chidoka, and it was deliberate,” he said.
