The Nigerian presidency has maintained silence after a viral video showed FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, seemingly under the influence of alcohol, almost shoving the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Abuja this week.

In the video making rounds on social media, Mr Wike walked at a fast pace ahead of the Indian leader, who was surrounded by his aides.

Stopping a few feet from Mr Modi, Mr Wike stiffened himself as if to salute the Indian PM, who took some seconds to catch up to him, and they both shook hands. It was unclear why Mr Wike would stiffen himself in that manner.

After the handshake, Mr Wike appeared confused and overwhelmed. There was a little opening between the Indian PM and an aide walking behind him; the minister hurriedly squeezed himself between the opening, nearly shoving Mr Modi as he walked away with an unsteady gait.

Mr Wike’s demeanour and gait suggested that he might have been highly intoxicated while meeting the Indian delegation.

The presidency, which was always quick to issue rebuttals flaying critics of the Bola Tinubu administration, has maintained a strange silence on the matter even as Mr Wike trended on X with users accusing him of being intoxicated while on official duty.

Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga— who wrote a statement of nearly five pages denouncing former President Olusegun Obasanjo for portraying President Bola Tinubu’s election victory as corrupt —has yet to issue a statement to address Mr Wike’s intoxication claims. 

Mr Onanuga did not immediately respond to a request for comments on the controversy.