Fact Check

FACT CHECK: Is Nyesom Wike the first Southern Minister of FCT?

Published

9 months ago

August 18, 2023

Ripples Nigeria

CLAIM: Nyesom Wike is the first Southerner to be named Minister of the Federal Capital Territory

VERDICT: Not Exactly.

FULL TEXT

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu assigned portfolios to the list of 45 minister-designates that were approved by the Nigerian Senate. They will be sworn in by the President on Monday at the Aso Rock villa, Abuja.

Ripples Nigeria published a full list of the ministers whish shows that former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike will be the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Most of the past occupants of the position were Northerners, making many to wonder if Wike is the first Southerner to occupy the position.

Some Twitter users have claimed that Wike is indeed the first Southerner to occupy the position of Minister of the FCT.

VERIFICATION

Since no contexts were provided in most of these posts, the claim may have been made out of sheer ignorance or with no intent of misleading the public.

Ripples Nigeria found that Wike is indeed first Southerner to occupy the position since 1999, but not the first Southerner to ever occupy the position. The first ever Minister of the FCT was late Mr Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun. Appointed by General Murtala Muhammed, he occupied the position from 1976 to 1979.

He passed away in July 2023, at the age of 96.

CONCLUSION

Wike is not the first Southern Minister of the FCT, but the first since the return of democracy to the country in 1999.

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