The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has berated Human Rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), at a programme in Abuja, on Thursday.
Wike disclosed that the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association has always defended politicians who rig in the country’s elections.
The former Rivers State governor, who was an awardee at the This Nigeria Newspaper Lecture and Award, said that previous speakers acted as if there has been no gain for the country under democracy.
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The theme of the event was “25 Years of Unbroken Democracy – Challenges, Prospects and Possibilities”.
Wike, who also admitted that the country is facing series of challenges, noted that previous guest speakers at the event should also speak of their good experiences in Nigeria.
He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, yes I am an awardee but also a Nigerian. It will be wrong sitting here without correcting some impressions.
“We are talking about 25 years of democracy; we know we have challenges. I expected the lecturer to also speak of progress. But the lecture was just about criticism, nothing was said about progress.
“Are you telling me that no single progress was made? We can say there is progress but there’s need for improvement.
“Just like Shehu Sanu said they were locked up and detained. But that doesn’t happen under this democracy; that’s progress. You have spoken about infrastructural development in FCT, that’s progress.
“So I just said I should say the fact. And again, the fact that you people are activists does not mean that you would do well in power. Activists have failed.”
Pointing to Ozekhome, the FCT Minister queried him, asked how many times he rejected briefs from those he described as election riggers.
He said: “As an activist, how many times have you rejected briefs? Those who rigged election, how many times have you defended them? It’s not about postulating all the time.”
