Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged residents to vote out unperforming area council chairmen in the forthcoming elections.
During a Sunday media chat with select journalists, Wike expressed discontent with certain chairmen failing to fulfil their governance obligations.
“They campaigned to the people that they wanted to be chairman of area councils. They were not appointed; the people elected them,” he said.
He emphasised that elected officials are responsible for delivering on promises made during their campaigns.
The minister lamented the lack of progress in some councils, stating, “If they cannot achieve what they promised, then the people should take action. You promised us this; you promised us that. Therefore, we cannot just sit back and accept mediocrity.”
Wike specifically pointed to a troubling incident where a council chairman claimed he could not procure security vehicles for law enforcement in his area.
“I cannot believe that a council chairman can say he cannot buy security vehicles for security agencies in his area council, significantly when allocations have been increasing.
“For Christ’s sake, when I was a council chairman in 1999, I was building police stations and providing everything, vehicles, logistics, for police operations. So why is it that today’s leaders cannot do the same?” he said.
He further challenged the chairmen on their leadership capacities, stating, “If you cannot provide essential security vehicles, what can you do? This is simply unexpected.
“You want to come out before your people and ask for their votes, yet you claim you cannot achieve the most basic responsibilities? There are things you should not even say publicly.”
The minister pointed out the need for property owners to fulfil tax obligations, stressing that many fail to pay their ground rent.
“Do you want me to undertake projects costing billions, yet people are not paying their dues? It does not add up,” he said.
Wike discussed ongoing initiatives to bolster security in the FCT and highlighted implementing a series of reforms, including establishing a command control centre to improve coordination among security agencies.
“We are also acquiring drones to enhance our security measures. This has never happened before in the FCT,” he revealed.
He urged residents to be proactive in voting decisions, as their choices directly affect their councils’ governance quality.
“Now is the time for the people to hold their leaders accountable. If you want progress in your areas, you must demand it,” Wike declared.
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