Atiku’s aide challenges Wike to disclose funding for media broadcasts

Media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to disclose the cost and funding sources of live broadcasts of his media engagements.

Ibe made the call in a post on X on Tuesday, following a media parley featuring Wike that was broadcast by several television and radio stations.

He questioned the cost of airing the programme, estimating that at between N10 million and N20 million per station per hour, eight stations broadcasting for two hours could cost between N160 million and N320 million per session.

According to his calculation, holding 12 sessions monthly could bring the estimated expenditure to between N1.92 billion and N3.84 billion.

However, the figures were estimates provided by Ibe and have not been independently verified.

He argued that Wike’s media engagements should focus more on infrastructure development and public services in the FCT rather than political disagreements with other political figures and groups.

“FCT residents deserve to know how much is being spent on these broadcasts and how much airtime is devoted to FCT development, rather than Wike’s political disagreements with Atiku, Amaechi, Obi, ADC and NDC,” he stated.

Ibe also called on the minister to publish the invoices and provide details of the stations involved, the amounts paid, the sources of funding and the relevant budgetary provisions.

“Minister Wike, publish the invoices. Identify the stations paid, the amounts, the funding sources and the relevant budget lines,” he wrote.

“Minister Wike, publish the invoices. Identify the stations paid, the amounts, the funding sources and the relevant budget lines,” he wrote.

He maintained that residents had a right to know whether public funds were used to finance the broadcasts and, if so, the budgetary provisions under which the expenditure was approved.

“The FCT treasury is not Wike’s personal political broadcasting account. Public office is not a licence to convert public funds into private political publicity,” Ibe added.

The call followed Wike’s media parley in Abuja, during which the minister discussed projects undertaken by his administration and expressed political support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s aide challenges Wike to disclose funding for media broadcasts