I’m not intimidated’ – Seun Okinbaloye fires back at Wike over controversial comment

Seun Okinbaloye, a well-known anchor at Channels Television, has asserted that he will not be intimidated after a controversial statement from Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who admitted to feeling the impulse to shoot the journalist.

During a discussion on Sunday, Okinbaloye emphasized that he is simply fulfilling his professional responsibilities and is dedicated to truth-telling and holding powerful figures accountable. He highlighted that intimidation has no place in a democratic society.

The journalist cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy is at risk if it moves towards a one-party system and emphasized the need to protect dissenting voices to uphold democratic values.

Okinbaloye mentioned that Wike had contacted him to clarify that his earlier comments were not meant to be taken literally as a threat. Nevertheless, he argued that such remarks are unacceptable, asserting that threats, whether real or implied, should not be used in response to differing opinions.

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He also shared that he has received backing from his employers and assurances of his safety from the Department of State Services (DSS).

Notably, the situation escalated after Wike’s remarks during a media session in Abuja, where he reacted to Okinbaloye’s concerns about the possibility of the 2027 elections being dominated by a single party due to internal issues within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In his response, Wike accused Okinbaloye of bias in the ADC controversy and remarked that he might shoot the journalist if given the chance, but later clarified that his statement was figurative, not a direct threat.