Prominent activist-lawyer, Dele Farotimi, and allies of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike have locked horns in a fiery online confrontation that once again lays bare the ideological fault lines in Nigerian politics.
The drama began when Farotimi, known for his fearless criticism of Nigeria’s political elite, took to his X (formerly Twitter) page to describe Wike as the “poster boy of the Nigerian ruining crass.” Not done, he went further: “Cacophonous, parasitic, narcissistic, Lilliputian, gluttonous, myopic, and completely untouched by any desire for immortality.”
The stinging post appeared to reference the Minister’s recent war of words with his long-time political rival and predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. The rivalry between the two Rivers political giants has resurfaced in full glare, drawing public commentary from observers like Farotimi.
But Wike’s camp didn’t take it lying down.
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, clapped back in equal measure, questioning Farotimi’s integrity and motivation. “When as a lawyer and human rice and beans activist like @DeleFarotimi, you have lost your sense of rational reasoning, you will be supporting, promoting and defending a man who built no single school throughout his 8 years as governor,” Olayinka posted, presumably referring to Amaechi.
He continued, “…but attacking another man who built the law school that many of the law graduates that will be called to bar this week attended.”
The back-and-forth has sparked debate online, with some defending Farotimi as one of the few voices left holding Nigeria’s political class accountable without fear or favour, while others see his comments as needlessly inflammatory and one-sided.
Farotimi, a long-time critic of government excesses, has frequently argued that political leadership in Nigeria is largely transactional, lacking a vision of legacy or service. His sharp words against Wike were not entirely unexpected, but the sheer venom of his description drew attention—and reactions.
Olayinka’s response attempted to remind Nigerians of Wike’s contributions in public office, specifically pointing to his development of key legal education infrastructure, a jab meant to position Wike as more of a nation builder than a “ruiner.”
Still, for many watchers, the fight exposes something deeper—disillusionment with the political class, frustration over recycled rivalries, and a widening gap between political performance and public perception.
For now, both men have made their points. But as 2027 looms, and political alignments take shape, it’s clear that voices like Farotimi’s will remain thorns in the side of powerful politicians—whether in power or out of it.
