Questions as Tinubu renames renovated Abuja International Conference Centre built by Babangida after himself
*Just for doing job, you want Nigeria to worship your - Concerned Nigerians *Many presidents before you renovated and didn't name it after themselves; but now, to renovate alone, you rename this ICC to yourself, who does that? - Uche Diala
By KEMI KASUMU
“At this rate, if care is not taken, you will rename Nigeria after you before the 2027 election, in case you lose. What happened to shame and ethics? Something is really very wrong. And we are supposed to keep quiet or be blackmailed into silence. God forbid. We will keep pointing out to Nigerians the absurdities, abnormalities and evil going on. It is a patriotic and moral duty,” said Uche Diala.
Like to say since May 29, 2025 it has been one day for one controversy, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, became the man at the centre of the latest by his renaming of the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja after President Bola Tinubu for mere renovation of the public asset originally constructed in 1991 by the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR.
For this singular action, the Tinubu administration – from where Aliyu Audu resigned on Sunday ceasing to continue as the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs over what he described as “unholy alliance” of his principal with Wike – has come under serious criticisms and questioning.
The Abuja International Conference Centre has been one of leading venue considered for official government events, global conferences, trade exhibitions and corporate gatherings. Nigerians are asking how Tinubu reasons to rename an existing project in his own self interest simply because of mere renovation that is supposed to be his normal duty bring performed.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the renovated building on Tuesday June 10, 2025, Wike described the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre as a “world-class” structure requiring constant maintenance.
The minister noted that halls at the centre were also named after some Federal Government officials.
“Since it is under you (Tinubu), the halls should bear smaller names. However, the main structure should remain the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre,” Wike said.
“We have named one hall after Tajudeen Abbas, another after Godswill Akpabio, and one after the Vice President. We also named a hall after the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). This represents the three arms of government working together,” he said.
Speaking further, Wike said it was important for the public to understand why the centre was renamed after Tinubu.
“This conference centre was built in 1991 under the military government. Since that time, nothing has happened to this International Conference Centre,” he said.
“Last year, you (Tinubu) came here to inaugurate the ECOWAS parliament. It was an embarrassment for a country to have this as the ICC and you said, ‘How can we have this as the ICC?’ That shows leadership.
“You said next time you come here, you want to see a different International Conference Centre.
“Within eight months Mr President, this is what we have. Without your leadership, it wouldn’t have been possible.”
In March, the minister announced that the renovation would cost N39 billion.
Reactions
In the meantime, concerned Nigerians who have expressed worries over the action of Tinubu and his ally, Nyesom Wike, are of general view that it is unpatriotic to do.
One of them, who refused to mention his name, said, “Just imagine that Buhari renamed every project he did originally between 2015 and 2023 in his own name, what politics could that have been and who would he be impressing? Just for doing your job, you want Nigeria to worship you,” Tinubu told.
In his reaction titled “WHEN SHAME IS LOST”, Dr. Uche Diala, a public affairs analyst, said: “ICC built by President Ibrahim Babangida and which has survived and been renovated and maintained by several other Presidents, it got to your turn you renamed it after yourself because you renovated it.
“Who does that?” He asked.
According to Diala, “Already you have named or renamed up to 8 or more national infrastructure after yourself just within 2 years.
“At this rate, if care is not taken, you will rename Nigeria after you before the 2027 election, in case you lose.
“What happened to shame and ethics?
“Something is really very wrong.
“And we are supposed to keep quiet or be blackmailed into silence. God forbid.
“We will keep pointing out to Nigerians the absurdities, abnormalities and evil going on. It is a patriotic and moral duty,” he said in a reaction posted on his Facebook page Tuesday night.
