By ETIM ETIM
Although Nigerians have been case-hardened to many stories of corruption in high places since Independence, the revelation that the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has acquired properties in Florida worth over $6 million (N9.6 billion) and surreptitiously registered them under the names of his wife and young children has shocked Nigerians beyond measure.
The disclosure has embarrassed Wike’s family, particularly his wife who is a senior jurist and scandalized the Tinubu administration.
This is the second major corruption scandal that involves Tinubu’s minister after the Betta Edu affair that has come to light. I wonder how much more is yet to come.
It is even more awful that the federal government, EFCC and ICPC have not uttered a word since this scandal broke out. A few months ago, Wike was reported to have allocated large parcels of land in the FCT to these children.
Again, nothing has been heard of the matter since then. I commend Yele Sowore, the politician and pro-democracy activist for bringing the Wike scandal to our knowledge, and for petitioning the US authorities on the matter.
In a detailed petition signed by another activist, Barr. Deji Adeyanju, on behalf of Sowore, and forwarded to Mr. James Uthmeier, the Attorney General of Florida, Sowore is alleging that Wike and his wife ‘’have secretly purchased three multi-million dollar lakeside properties in Winter Springs, Florida, now valued at over $6 million and have subsequently transferred ownership of these properties to their children, namely, Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike; Joaquin Chibuike Nyesome-Wike and Jazmyne Adaeze Nyesom-Wike’’.
The details of the transactions, according to the petition, are:
- 113 Springcreek Lane, Winter Springs, FL 32708 (approximately 5,000 sq.ft. purchased for $535,000 in cash, and subsequently transferred to Jordan Wike, aged 25).
- 209 Hetherwood Court, Winter Springs, FL 32708 (approx. 3,401 sq.ft. purchased for $459, 157 in cash and subsequently transferred to Joachim Wike, aged 23)
- 208 Hetherwood Court, Winter Springs (approx. 3,901sq.ft. purchased for $465,000 in cash and subsequently transferred to Jazmyne Wike, aged 20).
The transactions were executed through Quitclaim Deeds between July 2021 and September 2023, and these properties are now said to be worth over $6.45 million, according to the petition.
A quitclaim deed is an agreement that transfers the interest of the grantor (the person giving up the property) to the grantee (the person receiving the property).
It is often used to resolve title issues or transfer property between family members or business partners.
From all indications, Sowore is well briefed of these transactions, and he means business.
The petition is detailed, and contains explicit description of the properties, addresses, file numbers as well as the recorded Quitclaim Deeds.
Copies of the petition have also been sent to US ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills and US Attorney General, Pamela Bondi, who, incidentally, was the Attorney General of Florida until President Trump appointed her to her present position in January.
Apart of making accusation of money laundering against Wike a serious criminal offence in the US, Sowore’s petition insists that the FCT Minister did not report these assets in his Asset Declaration documents which he filed with the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau.
That’s a major violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
‘’This is a brazen conduct, combined with his unexplained foreign acquisitions suggests that Florida is being used as a safe haven for laundering and concealment of proceeds of corruption’’, the petition reads.
Subsequent paragraphs of the petition are equally pointed, indicating the specific laws of the State of Florida and how the Wike transactions violate them.
It would seem from the crisp, elegant and arcane language of the petition that Sowore is working closely with an American lawyer or a whistle blower with knowledge of the law.
The petitioner concludes his submission with three prayers to the US authorities.
He’s asking the authorities to investigate the source of funds used in these acquisitions and immediately commence a forfeiture proceedings; institute criminal prosecution against all individuals who facilitated or executed the transactions; impose Visa ban on and related sanctions on Wike.
I must commend Sowore for his efforts. Clearly he is the new Gani Fawehinmi.
But why did he not also send his petition to the EFCC and ICPC. Perhaps, he has no trust in them.
After all, nothing has come out of the Betta Edu case which the EFCC has been investigating since 2023.
The former Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation was accused of several misdeeds, including transferring N585 million into a private bank account; violating financial regualtions and even embezzlement.
The Wike case is therefore another test case for President Tinubu who ran for office with a pledge to tackle corruption, but has so far shown lack of determination to have his officials prosecuted.
Although the President had promptly fired Edu when her matter blew open, nothing has been heard of it since then.
Many other members of the administration have corruption cases to answer to with the EFCC.
The President’s reputation may further be called to question if he does not address the Wike matter and other pending corruption cases.
The last time a Nigerian official was involved in a corruption case in the US was the case involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and member of the US House of Representatives, William Jennings Jefferson, between 2005 and 2009.
Jefferson was accused of soliciting bribes from American companies interested in doing business in Nigeria.
After extensive FBI investigations, Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years.
A US Senate subcommittee found that Atiku Abubakar transferred $40 million into US Bank accounts, opened by his wife Jennifer Douglas.
EFCC launched a probe of the matter, but the former VP was never charged, but his name was thoroughly smeared.
Last week, a TV journalist asked Wike about the Florida acquisitions.
He made incoherent explanations, telling us that his wife and children are US citizens. He should be well advised to look for a better story to tell.
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