₦39 Billion for a Renovation? Odinkalu Blasts Wike, Tinubu Over Wasteful Projects
Renowned human rights lawyer and activist, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has launched a blistering attack on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing him of turning Abuja’s infrastructure budget into a political slush fund.
Speaking on PreciousEnyiTV on June 11, 2025, Odinkalu alleged that Wike is “destroying perfectly functional roads” in upscale districts like Maitama and Wuse, only to re-award inflated contracts to political allies, including Senator Duda Bja.
“Go to Senator Duda’s house on Ebitu Ukiwe Street in Jabi—it’s been repainted, walls raised like a fortress, all done with contract money,” Odinkalu charged, suggesting cronyism is the driving force behind the FCT’s current projects. Meanwhile, he said, residential areas where everyday workers live are being ignored: “Nothing has been done in Jabi or other worker communities.”
He also questioned the rationale behind multi-billion naira projects, such as the ₦39 billion renovation of the International Conference Centre and the ₦21 billion upgrade to the Vice President’s residence. “Anyone who believes ₦39 billion is needed to renovate that place needs their head examined,” he said, arguing that such funds would be better spent on education and healthcare.
As an example, he pointed to the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja, where patients allegedly sleep on the floor due to the lack of hospital beds—evidence, he said, of the government’s misplaced priorities.
Odinkalu mocked Wike’s obsession with media appearances and self-promotional billboards: “Too many press briefings, too many old chubby pictures—this reeks of joblessness and insecurity.”
He also expanded his critique to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, calling out bloated governance structures. He cited the creation of the Ministry of Blue Economy as a baffling duplication of the Ministry of Water Resources: “What’s the difference? No one explains—not even the ministers.”
Turning to Wike’s legacy in Rivers State, Odinkalu described the numerous flyovers in Port Harcourt—like those in Rumuola, Waterlines, and Garrison—as “conduit pipes” for fund siphoning, a model he claims is now being transplanted to the capital city. He warned that these contracts could be part of a financial strategy for the 2027 elections.
Odinkalu didn’t stop there. He took a swipe at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of compromising democracy. “INEC’s bias is killing our elections,” he said, branding its leadership “bandits” whose actions render citizens’ votes meaningless.
On economic issues, he slammed the administration’s narrative on poverty reduction. “They claim poverty has fallen from 38% to 50%? That’s statistical nonsense. The market tells the truth—yam, tomatoes, crayfish—people can’t afford them.”
Despite his wide-ranging criticism, Odinkalu declined to give Nigerians a political direction. “I have one vote like any other citizen. It’s not my job to tell people what to do,” he said. But he urged citizens to unite around their shared suffering and demand accountability from those in power.
