PANDEF Demands National Apology for Wike Over Naval Officer Clash

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political organisation of the South-South region, has declared that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, deserves a national apology following the recent confrontation between him and a naval officer in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Thursday, PANDEF’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, urged President Bola Tinubu to order a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that all those responsible are held accountable.

According to Igali, such action is essential to uphold professionalism within the military and reinforce respect for constituted civil authority — a core foundation for sustaining democracy and the rule of law.

He stressed that the conduct of the naval officer was not only a personal affront to Wike but also an act of disrespect to the office of the President, whose constitutional powers are delegated to the FCT Minister in matters concerning the capital territory.

“The behaviour of the naval officer was not just an affront on Chief Wike, but an open show of disdain for the office of the President, whose powers, vested in the FCT Minister, were so publicly ridiculed,” Igali said.

He expressed concern over what he described as the “social media glorification” of the officer’s actions, allegedly carried out under the directive of a retired service chief who, he said, should have known better.

“Chief Wike, CON, without doubt one of the best-performing ministers in this administration, deserves to be treated with much more respect and decorum,” the PANDEF chairman stated.

Igali insisted that the Nigerian Navy should issue an unconditional apology to Wike on behalf of its former leader and the junior officer involved, describing the act as “a horrible spectacle” outside the Navy’s legitimate duties.

He added that the use of “innocent junior military personnel for illegal assignments such as guarding private or unoccupied land” was unacceptable and must be stopped.

“Chief Wike must be fully protected from such overzealousness as he continues to discharge his duties with passion and dedication,” Igali said, emphasising that adherence to civil authority remains the bedrock of a stable democracy.

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