Ayobamiji Komolafe 
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has strongly refuted claims by United States commentator, Jackson Ude that he was intoxicated during Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Nigeria.
Ude alleged that Wike was barred from the Presidential Villa after reportedly arriving drunk to welcome the Prime Minister at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In a statement released by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, the allegations were described as baseless and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
According to Olayinka, Wike officially welcomed Prime Minister Modi at the airport as directed by President Bola Tinubu.
The Minister also accompanied the Indian leader to his hotel and later escorted him to the Presidential Villa the next morning.
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Photographic evidence alongside the statement showed Wike with Modi at the hotel and the Villa, contradicting Ude’s claims.
The statement also criticized Ude for a history of spreading falsehoods.
It would be recalled that Ude previously claimed that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello fled Nigeria, which was later debunked.
Wike’s office emphasized its decision to no longer respond to what it termed “false and misleading narratives” from unreliable sources.
The Minister remains focused on his duties, urging the public to disregard the accusations and focus on the positive outcomes of Prime Minister Modi’s visit, which aimed to strengthen Nigeria-India relations.
