“I Would Have Shot Him” — Wike Blasts Channels TV’s Seun Okinbaloye

Wike Fumes Over ‘One-Party State’ Comment, Says He Would Have ‘Shot’ Channels TV’s Okinbaloye

• Says Okinbaloye overstepped by expressing personal views on ADC crisis

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sparked fresh controversy following a heated reaction to comments made by veteran Channels TV anchor, Seun Okinbaloye. The Minister, known for his blunt and often fiery rhetoric, expressed extreme displeasure over Okinbaloye’s analysis of the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its implications for Nigeria’s democracy.

​Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, Wike did not hold back his frustration, stating that he felt like “shooting” the presenter through the screen for alleging that there were plots to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.

​The drama began during Thursday’s edition of Politics Today, where Okinbaloye expressed concern over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) derecognition of the ADC leadership. The journalist argued that a lack of political competition would be “inimical to democratic survival,” suggesting that if opposition hopes are dashed, Nigeria’s democracy could be “doomed.”

​Reacting to the broadcast, Wike accused the interviewer of abandoning neutrality to become an activist on air.

​”I was thoroughly surprised yesterday when I was watching Seun’s Politics Today,” Wike said. “If there is any way to break the screen, I would have shot him. How can an interviewer say we cannot allow a one-party state?”

​While the Minister clarified that he was not literally threatening the journalist’s life, he maintained that Okinbaloye’s conduct fell short of professional standards.

​”I am not saying I will kill him. I am just angered that he made that kind of statement on national television,” Wike explained. “You are now telling them your own view, as an interviewer… This is not the kind of journalism I have seen people do.”

​Wike argued that while it is acceptable for a journalist to ask tough questions of opposition members, it is “unbefitting” for a presenter to publicly allege a government plot to foist a one-party system on the nation.

​The Minister’s outburst comes at a time of heightened political tension. INEC’s decision to follow a court verdict affecting the ADC leadership has been met with fierce criticism from opposition figures who claim the move is a strategic attempt by the Tinubu administration to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

​While the presidency has dismissed the ADC’s defiance as “lawless,” the coalition party has vowed to proceed with its scheduled congresses.

​As the debate over Nigeria’s democratic space intensifies, Wike’s comments have once again put the spotlight on the relationship between high-ranking government officials and the media, raising questions about the boundaries of press freedom and ministerial temperament.