Wike-Naval Officer Clash: Buratai Is Amaechi’s Man, His Statement Didn’t Surprise Us – Olayinka

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the minister is not surprised by the recent comments made by former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), over Wike’s encounter with a naval officer in Abuja.

Buratai, in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, had warned that the altercation between Wike and the naval officer posed a “clear and present danger to national security.”

He argued that Wike’s conduct undermined the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and eroded military discipline, describing it as “a public humiliation of a soldier” and “an attack on the foundation of national order.”

Reacting on Wednesday in a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Olayinka said the minister is unbothered by Buratai’s remarks, noting that the retired general is an ally of Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and Wike’s predecessor as Governor of Rivers State.

“Buratai spoke as a politician. He is now in the political arena. Buratai is Rotimi Amaechi’s spokesperson. He was the DG of Amaechi’s campaign in the 2023 presidential election. And you know Amaechi and Wike are like words and opposite. So, what do you expect Buratai to say?” Olayinka said.

He added that since Buratai has now stepped into the political arena, Wike’s camp is “not surprised by the statement he made.”

The altercation in question reportedly occurred in Abuja when Wike confronted a naval officer over issues related to traffic management and enforcement within the city. The incident, which was captured in a viral video, drew mixed reactions from the public — with some defending the minister’s insistence on law and order, and others faulting his approach as high-handed.

Lt. Gen. Buratai (rtd), who served as Chief of Army Staff between 2015 and 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari, has in recent years maintained political ties, notably serving as Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi’s presidential campaign organisation during the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

The renewed exchange adds another layer to the long-standing political rivalry between Wike and Amaechi, two of Rivers State’s most influential politicians whose feud has shaped the state’s political landscape for over a decade.

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