In a recent statement via his official X account, Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a well-known human rights lawyer and former Chairman of Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission, has shared his thoughts on the recent criticism of Shehu Sani by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Odinkalu's comments come in the wake of remarks by Shehu Sani and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, over their opinions on the current administration as a result of ongoing hardship.
Wike, Ozekhome, and Sani attended the Nigeria Annual Lecture and Gold Prize Award 2024.
The event, held in Abuja, was to celebrate Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democracy.
Chief Ozekhome was the guest lecturer.
He angered the FCT Minister by not mentioning areas where the country had made progress in the last 25 years.
Former federal lawmaker Shehu Sani also called on President Bola Tinubu to solve the problem of hunger in Nigeria.
This call was not welcomed by Wike.
Wike questioned the decency of the two activists in making such calls.
He demanded to know what Sani had achieved as a Senator for many years.
He also accused Ozekhome of never rejecting a job, even to defend those who rigged elections in court.
"Nigerians are suffering. Who does not know Nigerians are suffering? That is no longer a story!" Wike blashes.
Responding to Wike's reaction, Professor Odinkalu expressed his thoughts over the situation.
"@GovWike is too inebriated with the twin intoxicants of power & loyalty to get it," Odinkalu wrote.
The Nigeria Annual Lecture and Gold Prize Award 2024 brought together notable figures to discuss the state of the nation.
The event was meant to highlight Nigeria's progress and ongoing challenges.
However, it has also brought debate and criticism among key political figures.
Odinkalu's criticism of Wike underlines the general dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs.