EXCLUSIVE: Despite Denial, Video Shows Wike Boycotted Council of State Meeting, Sent Minister of State Amid Rift With Tinubu

he growing rift between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a new turn, as video evidence confirms that Wike boycotted Thursday’s Council of State meeting and sent the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, to represent him.

The development followed the Council’s unanimous approval of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose 10-year tenure recently ended.

Rift Over INEC Appointment

Sources told SaharaReporters that Wike had strongly lobbied for Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, a Court of Appeal judge, to be appointed as INEC Chairman instead of Tinubu’s choice, Amupitan.
However, Tinubu overruled him, a decision believed to have deepened the already tense relationship between both men.

Denial and Video Evidence

In response to the report, Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, denied that the minister boycotted the meeting, arguing that the FCT Minister “is not a member of the Council of State.”

However, SaharaReporters obtained a video from the flag-off ceremony of the Katampe District road project in Abuja, showing that Wike instructed Bunkure to leave the event to attend the Council of State meeting at the State House.

In the footage, the event compère, veteran broadcaster Eugenia Abu, is heard saying:

“Some of you who arrived earlier would have seen the Honourable Minister of State in position, but the Honourable Minister (Wike) has requested her to attend the Council of State meeting. She departed early before he arrived.”

This statement, corroborated by the video evidence, contradicts Wike’s camp’s denial.

Background to the Fallout

Wike’s strained relationship with the Presidency reportedly worsened after Omoyele Sowore exposed his alleged undisclosed real estate assets in Florida, USA — revelations that embarrassed both Wike and key figures in the administration.

Following the exposé, Wike’s standing within the Presidency declined sharply. Sources say Tinubu began to view him as politically unstable and untrustworthy, particularly regarding sensitive national matters.

Growing Isolation

Insiders revealed that Wike had even contacted several former Nigerian Heads of State, urging them to boycott Thursday’s Council of State meeting — a move many say explains the notable absences.

During the session, President Tinubu reportedly asked Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo to present Amupitan’s name for confirmation, catching many attendees off guard. With no objection raised, the appointment was approved.

Conclusion

The video confirmation of Wike’s absence further exposes the widening cracks within the Tinubu administration. Once seen as a key political ally, Wike now appears increasingly isolated, with diminishing influence both in the FCT and within the federal power circle.