Without a shred of doubt, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, is the ‘star boy’ of the President Bola Tinubu Administration in its first year in office. And his principal has been nothing but effusive in his eulogies of the former Rivers State governor.
In fact, Wike has carried on from where he left off in Rivers State where he earned the nickname, Mr Projects, due to his infrastructural transformation of the state on his eight-year watch. Only this time, the sobriquet has changed to WIW – Wike is working.
One can say that this is one ministerial appointment that President Tinubu is happy, and perhaps lucky, to have made, but it could have been different had he listened to the naysayers who told him not to hire Wike.
President Bola Tinubu himself revealed that he was advised against appointing Wike to his cabinet.
Tinubu, who made this revelation while commissioning the Arterial Road N20 from the Northern Parkway to the Outer Northern Expressway within the federal capital city, which he named Wole Soyinka Way, credited Wike for being an inspiration to many people with his excellent performance in the nation’s capital.
He said: “To the Honourable Minister of FCT and his entire team, my presence here is to say thank you very much for giving this government a very successful first-year landing. You inspired so many people, and the acronym, WIW—Wike is Working, is resonating with all of us.
“My heart is full of joy, full of pride because they thought you, Wike, would not perform. I heard that from several quarters. I made my choice. You didn’t let me and the country down. You worked day and night, creatively thinking and doing.
“The reform you recommended was accepted by me. People are benefiting. The jobs you are creating during these activities are extremely encouraging. I said in Lagos, during the flag-off of the coastal road, that it was my bragging time. Today again, I can brag.”
This is high praise from President Tinubu, but Wike has earned it through dint of hard work and his usual can-do spirit.
Though he was of a different political party from his principal, Wike adopted the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda, launched in 2023, which aims to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, economic woes, insecurity, and joblessness.
The developmental strides of the minister in the capital territory bear palpable evidence of this mantra more than most facets of the present administration, for less than one year into this FCT Administration, Abuja residents have experienced positive changes in terms of massive infrastructural development.
As never witnessed before in the history of the FCT, for nine consecutive days, President Tinubu commissioned projects executed by the Wike-led FCT Administration, including the relaunched Abuja Light Rail, along with seven months of free train rides; construction of the Southern Parkway, S8/S9; Christian Centre to Ring Road 1; N98.8 billion roads B6, B12, and Circle Road in the Central Area; Link Bridge in Wuye and the official residence of the vice president.
According to the FCT minister, these projects demonstrate the administration’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, enhancing economic activities, accessibility, and quality of life.
As a result of the developmental strides of the FCT minister, President Tinibu could not hold back his excitement during the commissioning of the projects, describing Wike as a force of nature, a man who is redefining the meaning and concept of modern leadership in Nigeria.
The FCT minister, during the relaunch of the Abuja Light Rail for commercial activities, declared two months of free train rides for passengers, but an elated President Tinubu extended the free train rides to December to show his commitment to the welfare of FCT residents in terms of their transportation needs.
President Tinubu said to Wike, “Our dear landlord and his team, I heard you saying two months’ free ride.
I appeal to you to make it till the end of the year; that will give the people hope and reasons to celebrate.”
Asserting that he desired to have a functional federal capital with efficient infrastructure, Tinubu told Wike that he would like to ride on the train, adding that Wike had demonstrated unusual capacity in truly serving the nation.
LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the contract for the light rail project was awarded by the FCTA in 2007 and had a trial operation from September 2018 to March 2020 after completion.
Commercial activities in the Metro line, however, suffered setbacks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive vandalisation of key components, resulting in the ARMT (Abuja Rail Mass Transit) system not operating since 2020.
During the commissioning of the Southern Parkway, the S8/S9, Christian Centre to Ring Road 1, the road formerly known as Southern Parkway, President Tinubu said the completion of the road underscored his administration’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.
Also, while commissioning the N98.8 billion roads B6, B12, and Circle Road located within the central area of the nation’s capital, Tinubu noted that the completed road infrastructure would enhance economic activities, improve accessibility, and a higher quality of life for Nigerians.
He said it was with a deep sense of pride that he inaugurated Roads B6, B12 and Circle Road in the Central Area of the now beautiful city of Abuja, completed in record time, on the watch of the minister of the FCT, under one year in office.
“This event stands as a testament to this administration’s unwavering commitment to infrastructural development and urban renewal, a cornerstone of our vision for a more prosperous and much more connected Nigeria,” he said,
The Wuye Interchange Bridge was seen as a remarkable stride by the FCT minister, because for more than 20 years, other supposed connecting districts were cut off from Wuye because accessing other connecting districts in Abuja from Wuye was impossible, which made many residents avoid the area.
The president commended Wike for his selfless commitment to ensuring that the Renewed Hope Agenda was practical in the lives of residents of the FCT, saying his commitment to ensuring a standard capital city with adequate infrastructure was unrivaled.
He reassured FCT residents that his administration was also investing in essential services such as water supply, electricity and road networks that lay the groundwork for economic growth and prosperity, to share progress and improvement in the quality of life for all residents of Abuja Capital Territory.
The commissioning of the official residence of the vice president was one of the major highlights of the nine days of events, during which Tinubu said the completion of the project was part of his administration’s commitment to completing all inherited projects.
“As we commission this state-of-the-art edifice as the official residence of the vice president, we are fulfilling a longstanding commitment and reaffirming our unwavering dedication to accountability, transparency, and efficient utilisation of resources for the betterment of our nation.
“I hold a very strong opinion that abandoning projects after substantial expenditure has been incurred is inherently wasteful and it is in the best interest of the government and the public to see them through to completion.
“I, therefore, once again, want to express my gratitude to the FCT Administration for taking up the responsibility and feel duty-bound to complete this project to avoid wastage of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
While explaining the importance of the project, President Tinubu explained that the provision of a suitable residence for the vice president is not merely a matter of convenience, but also a symbol of respect for the office and the individual who occupies it.
The nine-day event was concluded last Saturday, with President Tinubu naming the M18 road in the Guzape District Lot II of Abuja as Chinua Achebe Expressway.
“Minister Nyesom Wike has provided exceptional leadership at a trying time for the country. It has been a very challenging time for us in the country. We are still retooling and rejigging our financial system to bring prosperity and relief to the people of this country.
“You have demonstrated the capacity to build a team, lead a team, and deliver on promises. I commend you, well done…” he said.
Wike who was visibly excited, while rounding off the exercise, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for all the support since he was appointed minister of the FCT in August 2023, especially that the President has never interfered with his work or asked for any personal favours.
“Since I assumed office on August 21, 2023, you have never one day interfered in my work. Never one day have you called me that this is what you want; you have never. Sometimes, I pretend I will come to you and say, ‘Are there people complaining?’ You will tell me ‘Have I ever called you one day? So don’t bother yourself, go and do your job.’
“I must say I and the minister of state are sincerely happy that you gave us the free hand to work, and this is what we are seeing today,” he said.
The minister also pledged the FCT Administration’s commitment to completing the projects in the diplomatic area of Abuja, assuring the President that the projects would be completed by next year.
Wike also revealed that although the nine days of project commissioning by President Tinubu may have ended, he would continue the inspection and inauguration of projects across the six area councils.
The minister had earlier inaugurated the construction of major roads and schools in all six area councils, which he would commission when completed.
Secretary of the Kpaduma community, Simon Baba-Yerima, while speaking on the development of the FCT by the minister, said that they had known the antecedents of the minister when he was governor of Rivers State; that he is a man that has an interest in the people and the development of the city in general.
“It was great wisdom from the president to have appointed him the minister of the FCT. In less than one year that he has spent in office, you can see the beauty and transformation in the FCT, which had never happened before in the history of the FCT.
“He is known as Mr Projects, but for us, we call him a Messiah who has come to save the integrity of the FCT. We have confidence in him because this is the first time in the history of the FCT that we have a minister who has the interest of the people at heart.
“We pray that God will grant him more wisdom to make Abuja the most beautiful and organised capital city in the world. We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to retain him as the minister of FCT in case he wants to reshuffle his cabinet,” he said.
Also, a former councillor who represented Garki ward in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bala Iyah, appreciated God for giving Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, who in his wisdom appointed Nyesom Wike as minister of the FCT to develop the FCT.
“Honestly, this has never been done in the history of the FCT for a minister to complete projects and commission over nine projects in less than one year in office. We have had several ministers of the FCT, who played their part and left.
“The truth is that what you do not have, you cannot give to people. We have seen that Wike is someone who has the interest of the people he governs at heart. He is a saviour to the FCT people, in terms of developmental stride,” he said.
Iyah further said that it is a great relief for the indigenous people of the FCT to have a minister like Wike, who has demonstrated that he has the interest of the original inhabitants and residents of the FCT at heart.
“If you have not been in the city for a month, you will miss your way when you go out. All the roads that were closed have been opened. So, we must commend President Tinubu for giving us Wike as FCT minister,” he said.
A resident of Nyanya in the outskirts of the capital territory, Uzoma Egornu, while appreciating Wike for the commendable way he had started, however, enjoined the minister to take infrastructural development to the satellite towns and the hinterlands where most FCT residents live.
“The minister has done well to upgrade the city centre roads to look like a modern city; however, over 80 percent of Abuja people live away from the city centre, and their areas have suffered decades of decay and neglect. He should take projects there to uplift their standard of living.
“Also, he should look into things that matter to ordinary people, like access to healthcare, standard public education, housing, and potable water. These are serious challenges to families and households.”
It is just one year into the life of the Wike-led FCT Administration, however, if he keeps at the rate he is going, the nation’s capital territory’s infrastructural landscape will be completely transformed, and residents of the FCT and the Tinubu administration will be the better for it.
And for Wike, he would have left an indelible mark in the history of the Nigerian capital territory.
