By Umar Sani Daura
The recent public confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Naval Lieutenant, A.M. Yerima, over a disputed land in Abuja was more than a viral video or a ministerial spat. It was a potent and dangerous referendum on democratic governance in Nigeria.
The widespread public outpouring of support for the young, composed naval officer—and the corresponding condemnation of the Minister’s visibly arrogant and verbally aggressive conduct—sends a clear, urgent message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Impunity and arrogance in public office are the most fertile ground for military adventurism.
In a functioning democracy, a civilian minister should hold clear institutional supremacy over a subordinate military officer. Yet, the average Nigerian’s reaction was not to defend the principle of civilian authority, but to applaud the restraint and professionalism of the officer who stood firm against what was perceived as the bullying and unchecked power of a political elite.
This public sympathy is a grim indicator of a deeper crisis: Nigerians are profoundly disillusioned with their political class. The populace, crushed by economic hardship and pervasive insecurity, views such displays of ministerial high-handedness as confirmation that their elected and appointed leaders are more interested in self-aggrandizement than selfless service.
When citizens celebrate a soldier resisting a politician, it signifies a dangerous shift in psychological allegiance—a blurring of the constitutional lines that define civil rule.
Coups do not happen in a vacuum. As history teaches us, military takeovers are often the symptom of a failing democracy, taking advantage of circumstances where:
Economic Distress has led to widespread public misery.
Political Arrogance and Impunity have alienated the masses.
Governance Failures create a loss of faith in civilian institutions.
The verbal assault on a uniformed officer, who symbolizes the state’s authority and chain of command, recklessly damaged the delicate fabric of civil-military relations. It was a gratuitous challenge to the dignity of the Armed Forces—an institution that remains, troublingly, one of the most trusted entities in Nigeria according to multiple surveys.
This incident, coming shortly after the nation was shaken by reports of a foiled coup plot and amid a wave of successful military takeovers across West Africa, serves as a non-verbal warning that can no longer be ignored.
President Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief, has the immediate responsibility to steady the ship and re-emphasize the core values of his administration. His silence on the matter is becoming increasingly risky.
The President must unequivocally address the political class with the following non-negotiable directive:
Enforce Restraint and Civility: Ministers, Governors, and all political appointees must be warned that any public conduct that suggests contempt, humiliation, or arrogance toward security personnel or the civil service is a direct attack on democratic stability and national security.
All public officials must be instructed to utilize institutional channels—not personal confrontations—to resolve disputes, especially those involving security agencies. The substitution of institutional procedure with personal power must end.
The President must seize this moment to remind all his appointees that public office is for service, not the exercise of private vendetta or overbearing authority.
The Wike-Yerima face-off has provided a costly lesson: disdain for the common man and disrespect for state institutions are the accelerants that fire up military ambitions.
To safeguard Nigeria’s hard-won democracy, President Tinubu must act decisively now. He must champion humility and accountability from the top, thereby denying opportunistic elements within the military the pretext they need to justify the violent overthrow of a government that the people have already lost faith in. The time for a clear, firm directive is long overdue. Copyright 2025 Enterprisenewsglobal.com
