“Too Unstable to Be Trusted” The appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reportedly intensified tensions between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike — signalling a breakdown of what was once considered a strategic political alliance. According to credible insider reports, Wike had vigorously lobbied for Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, a Court of Appeal judge, to clinch the INEC top job.
He was said to have secured security clearances for Liman and felt confident that Tinubu would honour his request. Advertisements However, sources within the Presidency revealed that Liman’s nomination was quietly discarded over concerns about his close ties to Wike.
One account alleged that the judge had previously intervened to stop security agencies from searching his residence in 2016 — a red flag that reportedly contributed to the decision.
President Tinubu is said to have bluntly told confidants that Wike was “too unstable and untrustworthy” to influence the leadership of the nation’s electoral commission. Instead, he moved swiftly to install Amupitan, a respected legal scholar from the University of Jos. Wike Boycotts Council of State Meeting in Protest
The fallout was immediate.
Wike was noticeably absent at Thursday’s Council of State meeting, allegedly boycotting the session in protest and sending his Minister of State in his place
Multiple former Heads of State were also absent — a development some presidency insiders believe Wike actively influenced as part of a coordinated show of displeasure.
In a surprise move, Tinubu reportedly inserted the INEC appointment into the agenda without prior notice, directing Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo to present Amupitan for confirmation. With little room for debate, attendees endorsed the choice.
Sowore Exposé Triggered Tinubu’s Distrust Observers say Wike’s waning influence began shortly after human rights activist Omoyele Sowore exposed his undisclosed real estate holdings in Florida, USA. The revelations rattled his political base and drew scrutiny from within the Presidency.
Before the exposé, Wike had returned from a medical trip to the UK, where he was reportedly treated for a heart-related infection. Re-energised, he resumed political hostilities against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara but soon overstepped.
During a public rant, Wike lashed out at Sowore for calling President Tinubu “a criminal”, warning that the activist was “lucky Tinubu believes in the rule of law”.
The remark reportedly backfired, compelling Sowore to unleash further evidence of Wike’s allegedly illicitly acquired assets — forcing top presidential advisers to reconsider his role in government.
Tinubu Moves to Silence Wike In another sign of growing distrust, Tinubu reportedly ordered Wike to suspend his monthly media briefings, citing concerns that his confrontational tone was “damaging the government’s image”.
An outraged Wike allegedly complained to Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, warning that silencing him would “make Sowore too powerful”.
The minister is also believed to have approached the Code of Conduct Bureau in a last-minute bid to amend his asset declaration forms to include the Florida properties that had been exposed — but officials reportedly informed him that his original filings had already been forwarded to the EFCC.
Alliance Collapses Into Cold War What began as a marriage of political convenience between Tinubu and Wike has now degenerated into a quiet but escalating power struggle at the heart of government.
With Tinubu’s rejection of his preferred INEC candidate and the growing perception that he is now a liability within the administration, Wike’s once-formidable influence in Abuja may be entering a steep decline.
