You Lack Good Taste! – Wike Fires Back At Critics Over Lavish ICC Renovation

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at critics of the recent renovation of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, asserting that those questioning the cost simply “lack good taste.”

Wike made the remarks on Friday while defending the N39 billion spent on the upgrade.

The renovation has sparked public debate, with some Nigerians expressing outrage over the cost and others opposing the decision to rename the facility after President Bola Tinubu—arguing it should bear the name of former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, under whose administration the centre was originally built.

Responding to the backlash, Wike explained that apart from the original block structure, everything within the facility was replaced. He acknowledged that while the centre was initially constructed for N240 million in 1991 during Babangida’s regime, inflation and rising material costs justify the current expenditure.

“Critics of the ICC renovation don’t have an eye for quality,” Wike said. “The only thing untouched in the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre is the blockwork. Every other aspect has been completely overhauled.”

President Tinubu officially commissioned the refurbished conference centre on Tuesday.