Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has sparked widespread backlash after attending the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with his two sons, Joaquin and Jordan, as part of his official entourage.
The three-day summit, which began on Monday and concludes today, is an initiative of Brisbane City Council, Australia, aimed at fostering government-business partnerships and showcasing urban capabilities globally.
Wike departed Abuja on Monday and was joined in Dubai by a delegation including Richard Dauda, Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA); Benedict Daudu, Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Multilateral Cooperation; Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control; Chuks Udeh, Director of Engineering Services; and Sani Daura, Director of Protocol.
His sons, however, were also listed among the travelers, drawing sharp criticism from Nigerians who accused the minister of misusing public funds to sponsor a family vacation under the guise of official duty.
The controversy intensified on Tuesday when Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka who is also attending the summit posted photos on social media showing the minister flanked by his sons at the event.
“When e reach your turn, carry your enemies travel. Hissssssssssssh,” Olayinka captioned the images, a remark widely interpreted as dismissive of critics.
Wike participated as a panelist in a session titled “From data-rich to data-smart: Unlocking urban intelligence for the next generation of cities,” but public attention quickly shifted to the presence of his children.
Many Nigerians took to social media to condemn the move, questioning the justification for including non-official family members in a taxpayer-funded international trip.
This is not the first time Wike has faced scrutiny over perceived favoritism toward his sons.
In July 2025, he vehemently denied allegations that he allocated prime plots of land in Maitama and Asokoro districts to Joaquin and Jordan, dismissing the claims as “malicious falsehoods.”
Neither the FCT Administration nor the minister’s office has issued an official response to the latest controversy as of press time.
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