EXTRA: Every Nigerian wants to take pictures with me, says Wike

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says every Nigerian wants to pose for pictures with him.

The minister said this on Sunday at a luncheon he organised in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers.

Wike said Nigerians insult and criticise him on social media, but people who run into him at events and public places beg to identify and take pictures with him.

“If you see social media, you would think this man is the most evil person,” he said.

The minister narrated how he became the centre of attention at an event organised by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, in Lagos. 

“Immediately I entered the place, every Nigerian wanted to snap with me,” Wike said.

“To the point that the chief of staff said: ‘Are you the one doing the party? Am I not the one doing the party?’ I said you are the one who invited me here.

“I said God, help me let my wife not see these pictures.”

The minister said he wondered if he was the one the people were jostling to take pictures with due to the insults hurled at him on social media.

“Is it me that people want to snap with or devil or ghost,” he said.

Wike said the same incident played out at the home of the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

“I said if I am collecting money, do you know how much I’ll make?” he asked.

He said some Nigerians residing abroad also volunteer to carry his luggage at airports.

“We went to London, the moment we were at terminal 5 at Heathrow, Nigerians volunteered to carry my luggage,” the minister said.

Wike attributed the goodwill to the “impact” he has made in people’s lives.

“You must make an impact on people’s lives. Whatever position you find yourself in, make impact,” he added.