Peter Obi reacts to altercation between Wike, Naval officer

The 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi has weighed into the altercation between the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and a Naval officer over land issue in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Minister was embroiled in a heated argument with military personnel at the site of a disputed plot of land located at plot 1946, Buffer Transit Southern Park Way, Gaduwa District of Abuja.

Report has it that the senior officer who laid claims to the disputed site is Awwal Zubairu Gambo, a former chief of naval staff and it was reported to have acquired the land in 2020.

Wike who visited the site after receiving reports that soldiers had driven FCTA officials enforcing development control directives, said no individual no matter their former position would be allowed to intimidate govt authorities or obstruct enforcement of the law.

“While officials of the Department of Development Control were on site to implement his directive, they were chased away by armed soldiers allegedly acting under the instruction of a retired senior officer”.

The Minister expressed shock that a person who once held a top military position could resort to such intimidation rather than follow due process.
He said, “I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position cannot approach my office to say, ‘Look, this is what is going on.’ But because he’s a military man, he thinks he can use that to intimidate Nigerians”.

Reacting to this on social media platform, Peter Obi said such altercation is yet another unfortunate reflection of the growing institutional disorder in the country.

He added that what should ordinarily be a routine civic encounter has, once again, become a national embarrassment— a typical example coming out of a ‘disgraced country’.
Titled: Wike versus Naval Officer: A Lesson for National Reflection, the former Governor said beyond the personalities involved, this incident raises fundamental questions that demand honest national reflection.

According to him, “Should the military be used for purely civil operations? If proper protocols were in place, should a Minister’s intervention in such a matter be in such an indecorous manner?

“Shouldn’t there be clear boundaries between administrative authority and the duties of security agencies? What does this say about our respect for institutions and the separation of powers? Why are our men and women in uniform so often drawn into civilian disputes?

“Why has the culture of due process and civility given way to public spectacle and confrontation? If our institutions worked as they should, would tempers flare in situations that should be handled by clear procedure and hierarchy?
“Above all, what example do incidents like this set for our younger generation about leadership, discipline, and the rule of law? These are not just questions about one incident – they go to the very heart of how our nation is governed.

“When public officials act beyond institutional norms, and when security agencies are used in ways that blur their professional boundaries, we weaken both governance and public trust”, Peter Obi stated.

He said Nigerians must learn from this episode, calling to rebuild a nation where institutions are stronger than individuals; where public office is exercised with humility and restraint; where the dignity of the uniformed officers and the rights of every citizen are upheld.

“A country that aspires to greatness and feels insulted when referred to as a disgraced nation must replace the culture of impunity with the discipline of law, order, and respect for due process.
“Repeatedly, I have maintained that to occupy an office and be referred to as His Excellency, Honourable, how we get to such an office and our character and behaviour while holding it or out of it should reflect such exemplary titles in all ramifications”, Peter Obi concluded.

Meanwhile, the minister in a statement released by his aide, maintained that the FCTA would not tolerate the misuse of military power to obstruct legitimate urban regulation, stressing that the rule of law must apply to all.

He said, “I have spoken to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff. They assured me that the matter will be resolved. We’re not here to have a shootout with anybody or cause chaos,” Wike said.

“But I will not allow this to happen. The same way we enforce our laws in other areas is the same way it will be done here. Nobody whether a former Chief of Naval Staff or anyone else will be allowed to carry out illegal development on government land.”