Opposition sponsored Tinubu’s booing to portray Wike as failure – FCT coalition

By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA: The Coalition of Youth Civil Society Groups in the Federal Capital Territory FCT has alleged that opposition political interests sponsored the booing of President Bola Tinubu at a mosque in Abuja in order to portray the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as one who cannot keep his promises. The coalition’s coordinator, Ifeoma Adegbe, made the allegation on Saturday in a statement.

“Let me make it clear: we condemn this act, which we believe was sponsored by the opposition simply to have something to circulate on social media. Their intention is to use such incidents to deceive Nigerians, manipulate public opinion and gain cheap popularity by discrediting the good work of President Tinubu through the Honourable Minister of the FCT.

“They want to create the impression in the public domain that the FCT Minister cannot keep his promises and has done nothing for the territory. We reject that narrative. We say no to this attempt to mislead the public, and we condemn the sponsorship of any group to manufacture political disturbances in our territory,” Adegbe said. The coordinator was reacting to events at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Abuja on Friday, November 13, where some worshippers and youths reportedly booed the President, chanting “Tinubu Must Go”, “Ba ma so” and “Ba ma yi” as his convoy departed the premises.

Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, with reports claiming that some individuals threw stones and other objects towards the presidential convoy. The Presidency, however, disputed aspects of the reports. The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, O’tega Ogra, released a video showing Tinubu leaving amid greetings from some supporters.

Adegbe alleged that some of those who booed the President and chanted anti-government slogans were brought into the territory from other states after news of his planned visit. “We condemn this act in its entirety. We are inhabitants of the FCT and genuine residents of this territory. We have information that these individuals were brought in from different states after learning that Mr President would be observing Friday prayers at the mosque.

They were sponsored, and we strongly condemn such political manipulation,” Adegbe said. Adegbe argued that the alleged sponsorship of protesters was part of a wider effort to undermine the relationship between the FCT administration and residents by discrediting government interventions. Adegbe maintained that political disagreements should not be exploited to misrepresent the interests of indigenous communities, stressing that the right of residents to express their opinions must be respected.

The coalition also urged political parties and their supporters to avoid actions capable of escalating tensions as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections, and called on residents to distinguish between genuine public grievances and allegations of orchestrated political activities. The coordinator said the coalition would not allow individuals allegedly imported from outside the territory to speak for its indigenous communities, and that the reported protest would not alter its political commitment.

“We know the genuine voters of the FCT, and we know the position of our people. We have promised and vowed that we must deliver 65 per cent of our votes in the FCT to President Bola Tinubu. Nobody should mistake the activities of a group of individuals for the collective decision of our people,” Adegbe stated.