The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has come under intense criticism after attending the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum in Dubai with his two sons, who were reportedly listed as official delegates.
Photos and videos from the event showed Wike’s sons wearing delegate tags; a development that sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians accusing the minister of using public funds for a family trip.
The summit, which gathered city leaders and government representatives from across the world, was meant to promote urban development partnerships.
However, the sight of Wike’s sons participating as delegates quickly turned the conversation to allegations of nepotism and misuse of public resources.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the controversy deepened after Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, mocked critics on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “When e reach your turn, carry your enemies travel.”
The statement angered many Nigerians, who saw it as a dismissive response to genuine questions about accountability in public office.
One user, @iOccupyNigeria, expressed outrage, questioning Wike’s justification for bringing his sons to a Mayors’ Conference:
“Wike no be governor, no be mayor. He be Minister of FCT, yet carry him children go Dubai as delegates. Na public money dem use fly go. Who born that kind impunity?”
Others echoed similar sentiments. User @MMBaloo slammed Olayinka, saying he was defending the indefensible: “I’m sure you’ll be running errands for those kids instead of working.”
Many social media users also linked the incident to a growing culture of political entitlement in Nigeria. @Real_me_Abdul wrote, “You are watching your resources being spent on father and sons who’ll later rule over you. And you still clap for them. Think about your life, bro.”
@BigOnukwugha also noted that Wike’s action undermines the civil service: “When ministers replace career officials with family members at international events, it weakens institutional growth and professionalism.”
Another user, @rollinsonwali, criticized the broader government attitude: “They mock the people funding their lifestyle, then still tax them to maintain it. It’s sad and wicked.”
The backlash has since spread across X and Facebook, where users accuse Wike of copying what they call the “Tinubu family-style of governance,” referencing the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, who is often seen at official events.
The outrage intensified after Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, posted on Facebook, questioning the boy’s presence at a government meeting. Fayose wrote, “What is Wike’s son doing in a meeting of the directors of the Ministry of Aviation and the FCT?”
That post went viral, with users accusing Wike of grooming his children for political roles. Comments ranged from “He’s learning from Jagaban” to “Catch them young politics.”
However, despite the backlash, neither Wike nor the Ministry of the FCT has issued an official response on whether public funds were used for the Dubai trip.
