Wike Faces Heat Over Alleged Florida Mansions as Petitions Spark Suspension Calls

When the name Nyesom Wike trends in Nigeria, it is usually for his bold political moves or fiery statements. But this time, the Federal Capital Territory Minister is at the center of a storm that has quickly turned into both a legal question and a hot gossip item across the country.

Over the past week, petitions landed on the desk of Florida’s Attorney General, asking U.S. authorities to dig into claims that Wike and his family secretly bought multimillion-dollar properties in the Sunshine State. The petitions, filed on September 21 and 22, allege that three homes in Winter Springs, Florida, worth well over a million dollars combined, were purchased between 2021 and 2023 and later transferred into the names of Wike’s children.

One property, located on Springcreek Lane, is said to have been bought for about $535,000. Two others, side by side on Hertherwood Court, reportedly cost roughly $459,000 and $465,000. According to the petitioners, the purchases were cash-backed, with quitclaim deeds used to transfer ownership. These are not random gossip numbers pulled from thin air, deed records were reportedly attached to the petitions to prove the claims.

Omoyele Sowore, activist and publisher, through his lawyer Deji Adeyanju, called on U.S. prosecutors to investigate whether these homes were funded with illicit wealth. He even urged them to consider visa restrictions. Another petition came from a UK forensic expert who echoed similar concerns. Both petitions cite U.S. and Florida laws on money laundering and asset forfeiture, asking authorities to act swiftly.

Back home in Nigeria, the reaction has been loud and political. On September 25, former APC spokesman Timi Frank publicly called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Wike pending the outcome of the investigation. The story has dominated online chatter, with critics arguing that the revelations stain the credibility of the Tinubu administration, while Wike’s supporters insist it is just another chapter in a long list of politically motivated smear campaigns.

For many Nigerians, the gist is not only in the legal language of “illicit funds” and “forfeiture proceedings,” but also in the human angle. How does a serving minister’s family allegedly come to own homes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in Florida, when the average Nigerian is battling with food inflation and epileptic electricity? The petitions may have been filed in Florida, but the questions are being asked in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and everywhere in between.

As of September 26, there has been no official confirmation from U.S. authorities that an investigation has been launched. The Florida Attorney General’s office has remained silent, and no court papers or indictments have been made public. That silence, however, has not stopped the Nigerian rumor mill from spinning and it is spinning fast.

What makes the matter even juicier is the timing. The revelations came barely weeks after People’s Gazette published an investigative story detailing the same Florida properties on September 1, setting the stage for the petitions that followed. Whether coincidence or careful strategy, it has ensured that the Wike saga stays firmly in the headlines.

For now, the facts are clear: petitions were filed, property addresses and values were laid bare, and the calls for Wike’s suspension have gone mainstream. What remains to be seen is whether American authorities will take the bait and turn this scandal into a full-blown international case. Until then, Nigerians are watching, talking, and of course, gossiping about the minister whose alleged mansions abroad may have just sparked one of the biggest political scandals of the year.