Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports circulating on social media that he suffered a heart attack while in London.
Speaking on Thursday at the flag-off of the construction of Arterial Road N1 from Wuye District to Ring Road II in Abuja, Wike said he had only traveled abroad to take a short break, insisting there was no truth to the claims.
The minister criticized those behind the rumours, saying they were bent on politicizing everything. He joked that if anyone should suffer a heart attack, it would be those spreading falsehoods about him.
“Since I took this appointment as minister, I have never had time to travel out, so I said let me go on holidays,” Wike explained. “This time around, I didn’t travel with files or Certificates of Occupancy. If the world will crumble, let it crumble—because one has to be alive first before satisfying everyone.”
He further noted that leaders must take time to rest despite the pressures of office. “The day you leave, someone else will be announced immediately. So while working, you must also find time to relax,” he added.
Reacting to the rumours, Wike said: “Before I knew it, I heard they said I had a heart attack. God will continue to help them to have heart attacks. It’s my prayer that I will be the one to sign their condolences.”
The FCT Minister lamented the spread of fake news in Nigeria, pointing out that false claims are often circulated freely on social media without consequences. “This is a country where someone can go on social media and say Mr President is a criminal and nothing will happen. You are lucky to have a president that believes in the rule of law,” he said.