The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has debunked social media reports claiming he collapsed last week. According to him, with God’s help he would sign the condolence messages of those who wished him dead.
Wike described the reports as the handiwork of people trying to score cheap political points, the minister said he was in good health.
The former governor of Rivers state spoke after he inspected four ongoing projects in the territory, including the International Conference Centre ICC.
He said the death rumour was an attempt by some persons who wanted to destroy critical national assets but only used the rumour to deflect attention.
Wike said; “I don’t want to give credence to people who are only interested in carrying rumours.
“First of all, I am a human being, it is not a ghost that will collapse. It is human beings that will collapse if there is any problem with their health.
“Unfortunately, I did not collapse and I did not show any sign that I have any health problem. Let me tell you what happened. What happened was that you saw that the former Head of Service (in Rivers state) came out to let the public know what was going on, how they planned to bomb the House of Assembly complex and how they planned to attack national assets.
“In order to divert attention from people not focusing on that, they had to bring one rumor that they have been flown overseas.
“There was no time I collapsed, there was no time anybody took me overseas. But you see me every day. The day Mr President broke iftar on his birthday, I was there.
“The next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage. I see all those stories just died down. This is politics. We have thick skin. Those things don’t bother us. We are not distracted. We are focused on our jobs.
“So, I thank Nigerians for being worried, which it should be, but people should not wish their fellow human beings such a thing to happen.
“We know that we will die one day. Nobody will remain in this world forever, but it is only God that says the day you will die, not any human being to say you will die today or you will die tomorrow.
“So, you have seen that I am even healthier than most of them who carried that rumour and I will write their condolence letters. I can assure you that I will write their condolence letters. So, there is nothing like that.”