PANDEF Demands National Apology to Wike Over Naval Officer Incident
By Passman Akpos
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body of the South-South geo-political zone, has called for a national apology to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, following a recent incident involving a naval officer that allegedly obstructed the minister from carrying out his duties.
In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, PANDEF’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, condemned the incident as “a gross affront on constituted authority and a display of disdain for the office of the President,” whose powers, he noted, are constitutionally vested in the FCT Minister.
Igali urged President Bola Tinubu to order a full investigation by the relevant security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that those involved are identified and held accountable. He stressed that such a move would help preserve the professionalism of the armed forces and uphold the rule of law — key elements, he said, in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.
“The Minister of the FCT deserves to be treated with much more respect and decorum,” Igali said. “Chief Wike, CON, without doubt, one of the best-performing ministers in this administration, has demonstrated uncommon zeal in discharging his duties and must be fully protected from acts of overzealousness.”
The PANDEF chairman expressed deep concern over what he described as the “glamourisation” of the naval officer’s conduct on social media, noting that such behaviour, reportedly carried out under the influence of a retired Service Chief, was unbecoming of the military.
He further criticized the use of junior military personnel for “illegal or private assignments,” warning that such practices were “outside the military’s core mandate of safeguarding national security.”
Igali concluded by insisting that the Nigerian Navy should issue an unconditional apology to Wike on behalf of its leadership and the “hapless young officer” involved, describing the episode as a “horrible spectacle” that undermines the sanctity of civil authority.
