Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye, has warned that the confrontational political strategy associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, could deepen political cynicism and ultimately leave the minister increasingly isolated.
Kalejaye, in an analysis of contemporary Nigerian politics, described Wike’s approach as “Wikerealpolitik,” arguing that the FCT Minister has transformed the popular expression “see finish” into a strategy for political survival and relevance.
According to him, the approach involves stripping political opponents and allies of their perceived moral authority by openly exposing rivalries, disagreements and the transactional interests behind political alliances.
Kalejaye noted that the strategy represents a departure from the traditional practice among Nigeria’s political elite of resolving disagreements privately while maintaining a united public image.
He argued that Wike’s willingness to publicly confront political heavyweight figures and expose disagreements within the ruling All Progressives Congress has altered the way political power is negotiated.
The legal practitioner said Wike had particularly challenged the perception of opposition leaders as untouchable figures by bringing personalities such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi into what he described as the “political trenches.”
He said Wike’s argument that some opposition figures would “hunt” him if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 election reframes political competition as a contest driven partly by personal interests and old political grievances.
Kalejaye, however, cautioned that the strategy carries its own dangers.
He said constantly encouraging Nigerians to view politicians through the lens of transactional politics could eventually erode public confidence in leadership and weaken the perception that political opposition can be motivated by genuine principles.
The SAN also observed that Wike’s emphasis on visible infrastructure provides an important defence against political criticism, noting the minister’s repeated reference to projects delivered during his tenure as Rivers State governor and his administration in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Kalejaye, infrastructure offers tangible evidence that voters can assess beyond political speeches and campaign promises.
However, he argued that infrastructure alone cannot substitute for broader governance priorities, including human capital development, institutional integrity, democratic reforms and adherence to the rule of law.
He further noted that Wike’s willingness to publicly identify disagreements with members of his own political camp, including governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, has challenged the traditional expectation of internal party solidarity.
Kalejaye said the approach may give Wike leverage by making attempts to politically isolate him more difficult, but warned that it could also contribute to instability within the governing political structure.
He described the emerging political model as a test of whether visible infrastructure and an aggressive political posture can sustain a politician when traditional alliances and elite protection mechanisms break down.
Kalejaye concluded that the evolution of Nigerian politics should ultimately produce a system that combines infrastructure with human capital development, institutional integrity, democratic advancement and respect for the rule of law.
He said the unfolding political developments ahead of the 2027 elections would provide significant material for students and academics studying Nigeria’s evolving democratic and political landscape.
“Indeed, these are interesting times,” he said.
