Wike’s aide fires back at Atiku’s media adviser over TV chat costs

Lere Olayinka, the spokesperson for Minister Nyesom Wike, has challenged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's media adviser, Paul Ibe, to explain whether residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had complained about the minister's frequent media appearances. Olayinka questioned Ibe's demand for Wike to disclose the cost and funding sources of the media broadcasts.

Ibe had previously estimated that a media chat involving Wike, broadcast by eight stations for two hours each, could cost between ₦160m and ₦320m per session, based on a rate of ₦10m to ₦20m per station per hour. However, Olayinka argued that Ibe should first address questions raised by Wike regarding the alleged funds collected from the sale of Rivers State's gas turbine and the payment made for a hospital project in the Caribbean.

He also disputed Ibe's calculations on the estimated cost of the media engagements and questioned the basis for Ibe's figures.