Former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, on Wednesday, condemned the public face-off between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and some military officers over a disputed land in Abuja.
A senior Naval officer, Lt. Yerima, who claimed to be acting on orders of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Zubairu Gambo, had engaged Wike in a heated argument and prevented the Minister and officials of the FCT Administration (FCTA) from gaining access to the disputed land in Gaduwa District of Abuja on Tuesday.
The issue degenerated into a heated argument between Wike and the military officers.
Reacting, Asari said the officer in charge should be reprimanded and court marshalled by the appropriate authorities.
In a video message on Facebook, Asari said: “I’m not taking side with Wike, I’m taking side with what is the law, the rule, and the convention. What happened yesterday, in any sane society, that person will be reprimanded and detained.
“The confrontation with the military man and the Minister of FCT is uncalled for. The Minister is the governor of the FCT and constitutionally, he is the chief security officer, outside the president, of the city of Abuja.
“I might not like Wike, our relationship have witnessed ups and downs, but in any sane society, that fellow ought to have been court-martialled. It can’t happen anywhere outside Nigeria.
“There is law in Abuja and nobody has the right to go and develop a piece of property without following the laid down rules and regulations pertaining to developing properties.
“A military man is subjected to the constitution, he is not above the constitution. If Wike himself did not go there, they would say government officials do not take their work serious.
“In an executive system of government, the bulk stops at the table of the executive officer, I didn’t see anything wrong in the Minister going there.
“Nobody can accept that sort of affront from somebody who by the law ought to see you as his superior.”
