Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has responded with scorn, irony and a pointed demand for accountability after Senator John Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, derided him as a “semi-illiterate” and claimed to have once fed him, paid his school fees and employed him as a car washer.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
The dispute erupted after Senator Mbata released a video questioning Wike’s education and temperament, portraying him as a man unable to pronounce words like “integrity” and branding him a habitual political brawler. The remarks quickly circulated online, igniting a wave of reactions across Nigeria’s political class.
Wike, never known for restraint, embraced the insult rather than retreat from it.
“I have no problem with being called a semi-illiterate,” he said at a public event. “At least I am ‘semi,’ not ‘fully’ illiterate. I have tried.”
The minister then recast the insult into a narrative of social mobility and political survival, recounting his rise through Nigeria’s unforgiving political terrain.
“A motor washer became chairman of a council,” he said. “A motor washer became Minister of State for Education. A motor washer became governor of one of the most important states in Nigeria for eight years.”
Responding to Mbata’s claims, Wike took aim at the senator’s own educational record.
“You contested for chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA and failed, but I contested and won twice,” Wike said.
He asserted that while Mbata calls him “semi-illiterate,” Mbata himself “dropped out from Rivers State University when he was reading law.”
Wike stated he, conversely, “went to University of Port Harcourt, finished, went to the same university he dropped out from and went to the law school. Today, I’m a life bencher.”
The irony, Wike suggested, was not lost on him. During his years in power as governor of Rivers State, he said, many of those now questioning his intellect were regular visitors to his office, seeking contracts and political favour.
“When I was signing contracts for their companies, they didn’t know I was an illiterate,” Wike said. “They were coming every day.”
Shifting from personal barbs to public record, the minister challenged Senator Mbata to account for his own years in office. Mbata served eight years in the Senate, a period Wike said should speak for itself if it had produced tangible results.
“You were a senator for eight years,” he said. “Tell the people what you did. It’s not abuse. Just tell us what you did. I can stand anywhere and tell Rivers people what I did in every office I held.”
Wike also defended his controversial alliance with President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections, arguing that the partnership had delivered concrete benefits to Rivers State. He cited the establishment of a federal university in Onne and the completion of the long-awaited Bodo Road as evidence that his political gamble had paid off.
“I walk majestically,” he said, “because our support did not go in vain.”
In closing, Wike dismissed the controversy as another episode in Nigeria’s noisy political culture, insisting that insults fade but records endure.
“Truth is truth,” he said. “You don’t hide from it. You show it.”
He added firmly: “We have made a decision in this state, and nothing will happen other than what we have said.”
Reports confirmed that Wike was personal assistant to the Ohanaeze leader, saddled with the responsibility of responding to phone calls on his behalf before Mbata funded his election as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Council.
The promotion, which commenced on January 8 and runs until February 8, 2026, offers five core maritime law books authored by Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, ordinarily valued at N405,000, for just N150,000 — a 63% discount.
Interested buyers can place their orders through the following channels:
Phone: 0704 329 3271
Online Store: https://paystack.shop/aa-bookstore
Website: www.akabogulaw.com
______________________________________________________________________
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola
_______________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
