The Atiku Media Office has strongly condemned what it described as a “dangerous and disgraceful” comment made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against journalist Seun Okinbaloye.
In a statement, the media office accused the administration of Bola Tinubu of fostering a culture of intolerance and intimidation, warning that such rhetoric threatens Nigeria’s democratic values.
The group said Wike’s remarks, allegedly made on live television, were not a joke but a serious threat that reflects a broader pattern of hostility toward dissenting voices.
“This was not a joke. It was not banter. It was a threat—clear, direct, and deeply sinister,” the statement read.
According to the Atiku Media Office, the incident highlights what it called a growing trend where criticism of government policies is met with aggression rather than dialogue.
The office further argued that such conduct would attract immediate consequences in established democracies but is becoming “frighteningly routine” in Nigeria.
It also raised concerns about press freedom and public safety, questioning the level of protection available to ordinary citizens if a prominent journalist could be openly threatened.
“What crime did Mr. Okinbaloye commit? He dared to warn against the creeping danger of a one-party state,” the statement added.
The media office warned that the normalization of threats against the press could erode democratic institutions and silence independent voices.
“This is how democracies die—not only through stolen mandates or weakened institutions, but through the gradual normalisation of threats, fear, and the silencing of independent voices,” it said.
The group demanded an immediate apology from Wike, a public rejection of such rhetoric by the Tinubu administration, and concrete assurances for the safety of journalists across the country.