Wike threat: I will not be intimidated – Okinbaloye

By Abubakar Yunusa

Channels Television anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, has declared that he is not afraid and will never be intimidated following remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Wike had, during a press briefing on Friday, said he would have “shot” the journalist for suggesting on a television programme that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress were plotting to create a one-party state.

Reacting on Sunday during Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, Okinbaloye dismissed the threat, insisting that journalism must remain rooted in ethics and global best practices.

“Let me be clear, I’m not afraid, and I will never be intimidated,” he said.

“Journalism grounded in ethics and global best practices remains a duty to the public, not a concession to power.”

He disclosed that the State Security Service had assured him of his safety, while his organisation had also intervened in the matter.

The journalist further revealed that Wike had reached out to clarify that no harm was intended.

“While that is noted, it is important to emphasise that violent rhetoric or suggesting threats are never appropriate responses in a decent democratic society,” he added.

“We may disagree and, as humans, we may err, but we must never descend into hostility or harm.”

Okinbaloye reiterated his earlier position that democracy could be undermined if opposition voices were silenced, warning of the dangers of a one-party system.

“There are a lot of experienced men in the ADC… it looks like one of the hopes of the opposition going into 2027,” he had said.

“If this hope is dashed, we are doomed democratically.”

Wike, however, had expressed outrage over the comments, stating that he was shocked by the position taken by the journalist.

“I was surprised when I was watching Politics Today. Seun, if there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him,” the minister said.

The remark has since drawn widespread condemnation from several organisations, including Amnesty International Nigeria, which called on the minister to withdraw the statement and apologise.

Okinbaloye appreciated the support from rights groups and individuals, describing it as a reinforcement of the collective commitment to truth and accountability.

“I will continue to do what I love, asking the necessary questions, holding power to account in the interest of Nigeria,” he stated.

Background

The controversy followed the de-recognition of the David Mark-led national executive of the African Democratic Congress.

During Thursday’s Politics Today, Okinbaloye raised concerns over the implications of Nigeria drifting towards a one-party state amid the leadership crisis within the party.