‘Help Us Return Sanity To FCT’— Residents Challenge Wike To Replicate Infrastructure Achievements In Abuja

Abuja residents on Thursday challenged the newly appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike to replicate his success when he was governor of Rivers State between 2015 and 2023.

The residents said this during separate interviews with THE WHISTLER

President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday named Wike as the FCT minister making him the first person from the South to have occupied that position in the last 47 years

Wike had, during his 8 years tenure as governor of Rivers State constructed massive infrastructures project which has been described as unrivaled in the history of the state.

His achievement in infrastructure projects made former president Muhammadu Buhari give him the award of “Mr Project”

Wike had in a statement said between 2019 and January 2023, that he built 12 flyovers, and spent over N17 billion to build the ‘Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus’ of the Nigerian Law School which he completed within 10 months.

A month to the end of his tenure, the former Rivers State governor revealed that he completed 1,000km of roads in eight years.

Speaking on his expectations, a Public Affairs Analyst, Mr. Yunusa Abdullahi said, “Wike in Abuia, no doubt, the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as FCT Minister isn’t a bad idea, given his uncommon and unmatched performance record, especially in infrastructure while in the saddle in Rivers state.

“Wike must try hard to watch his tongue, as Abuja is a highly cosmopolitan city which serves as Nigeria’s capital and home to thousands of foreigners serving either as diplomats or professionals deploying their expertise across sectors of the economy.

“Abuja isn’t Port Harcourt or Obio/Akpo where he governed like an emperor in the Medieval age with numerous human rights abuses and infractions in his trail. Abuja is a civilized place where people are aware of their rights as citizens, and can’t easily be maltreated by any government official without consequences.

“Sadly, Abuja hasn’t had a Minister worth her status and pedigree since Malam Nasir el-rufai left MFCT in 2007. So, Wike already has his job cut out for him. Abuja is gradually losing all the beautiful qualities that once earned her global accolades.

“According to the United Nations, Abuja grew by 139.7% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest-growing city in the world. Wike has a lot before him already, so he must hit the ground running.

“He should begin with lighting up the city. Criminal elements take advantage of Abuja’s poorly lit or dingy structure to carry out their nefarious acts.

“Secondly, as a way to decongest the city centre and open up Area Councils for development, Wike should focus more on addressing pressing infrastructural needs, especially roads and water supply, across satellite towns in the territory.

“He should also brood over the idea of relocating some MDAs to other Area Councils for facilities in AMAC not to be overstretched.”

While congratulating Wike on his new position as a Minister he said, “other germane issues begging for urgent intervention are soaring and exorbitant rent rates, land grabbing and racketeering, master plan distortion, multiple revenue collection bodies, poor and unorganized transportation scheme as well as indiscriminate dumping of refuse on major streets and roads.

“Help us to return sanity to our dear FCT. Mr. Infrastructure.”

Similarly, Faith Nwadishi, the Executive Director Center for Transparency Advocacy urged the new FCT Minister to that ensure the original inhabitants of the federal capital gets their rightful place.

She said, “The portfolio of the minister of the FCT has been assigned to Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of River State, my expectation is that he ensures that the ministry work and also the inclusion of the original inhabitants of the FCT should be part of the agenda interpreting his mandate and also to clarify a lot of issues that have been coming out from the FCT.

“We know he can be very professional in his work; I’m looking forward to him sanitising FCT, ensuring that the original inhabitants get their rightful place, and they should be a progressive development within the FCT. The issue of security should be addressed, so we can go back to the kind of growth and development expected to still happen in the FCT.

“He should also look at the FCT MasterPlan to see how best it can be implemented so we can continue in that trajectory of growth and development for the FCT.”

On whether she’s satisfied with Wike being named as the FCT Minister, she said, “I don’t have any control over that, it’s the power of the president to appoint anybody that he wants. We have had people who have been appointed by presidents, some have done well while some did not do very well.

“I expect him to do far and above all of those people that have been FCT Ministers. The minister as they are quoted, some of them are square fair the square hold, we look forward to having them interpret their roles in the position given to them.”

On his part, the president of Abuja Original Inhabitant Youth Empowerment Organization (AOIYEO), Isaac David said, “We are very delighted to welcome Barr Nyesom Wike to the Federal Capital Territory as our Minister because the city being the seat of Nigeria’s government, it would be a disservice to the country to bring up someone who is not experienced on how to manage a capital city like ours, but given the background of the new minister, we are very confident that his giant strides in port Harcourt would be replicated.

“The development of Abuja in all ramifications required somebody who is bold to maintain strict adherence to the Abuja master plan, restore normalcy in the area of security and strongly committed to nation building, all this, we have seen in Barr Nyesom Wike and we believe that he would repeat such traits in Abuja.

“Most importantly, we will urge the minister to carry along all Abuja indigenous stakeholders especially the youth in the scheme of running the government because a proper understanding of complexity nature and structure of Abuja warrant that the minister needs to work hand in hand with these original inhabitants and the residents for a successful tenure.

“The minister must see the reason why the constitutional rights and identity of these natives have to be respected because taking this seriously would go a long way in drawing the support of these peace-loving people. As Nigerians, we would also appreciate it.

“For every success recorded by any government has some iota of cooperation, support, and encouragement from the people, both indigenous and residents are urged to rally round the minister to be able to achieve the agenda of renewed hope of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”