Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, has debunked rumors circulating on social media that he collapsed last week.
Wike described the rumors as a ploy to score cheap political points, emphasizing that he is in good health. “I’m healthier than those who wished me dead,” Wike said, adding that he would sign the condolence messages of those who wished him dead.
Wike made these comments after inspecting four ongoing projects in the territory, including the International Conference Centre. He attributed the death rumors to an attempt to divert attention from a plot to bomb the House of Assembly complex and attack national assets.
The minister assured Nigerians that he is focused on his job and not distracted by the rumors. Wike also expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, stating that he is even healthier than those who spread the rumors.
In addition to addressing the rumors, Wike assessed the progress of the projects he inspected, expressing satisfaction with the quality of work and the adherence to the project timeline. He announced plans to inaugurate several projects during the second anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration.
He said; “First of all, I am a human being, it is not a ghost that will collapse. It is human beings that will collapse if there is any problem with their health. Unfortunately, I did not collapse and I did not show any sign that I have any health problem. Let me tell you what happened.
“What happened was that you saw that the former Head of Service (in Rivers state) came out to let the public know what was going on, how they planned to bomb the House of Assembly complex and how they planned to attack national assets. In order to divert attention from people not focusing on that, they had to bring one rumor that they have been flown overseas.
“There was no time I collapsed, there was no time anybody took me overseas. But you see me every day. The day Mr President broke iftar on his birthday, I was there. The next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage. I see all those stories just died down. This is politics. We have thick skin.
“Those things don’t bother us. We are not distracted. We are focused on our jobs. So, I thank Nigerians for being worried, which it should be, but people should not wish their fellow human beings such a thing to happen.
“We know that we will die one day. Nobody will remain in this world forever, but it is only God that says the day you will die, not any human being to say you will die today or you will die tomorrow. So, you have seen that I am even healthier than most of them who carried that rumour and I will write their condolence letters. I can assure you that I will write their condolence letters. So, there is nothing like that.
“You can see that where we are, at the International Conference Centre, much work has been done. They are keeping to the time they have given, and it’s a good quality job. By the grace of God, we will inaugurate this.
“We have gone to Gishiri and the roads leading to the Justices’ Quarters. It is a good job. I am very much impressed with the progress of these projects. It attests to the fact that this is a quality job being carried out.
“On Friday, we will leave and go to OSEX, and then the road leading to the EFCC. I cannot wait to see how they are. I have said before that we are going to inaugurate several of these projects in the second anniversary of Mr President. So, I am very, very impressed with what I have seen. It is going well”, he said.
