The appointment of Nyesom Wike as the FCT Minister in August 2023 by president Bola Tinubu, was met with a lot of celebrations in most part of the country as a historic appointment that marks the first instance of a southerner holding the position of FCT minister since its creation about five decades ago. While his kinsmen in Rivers state are in exultations with this development, the people of FCT were also in a joyful mode that they were so lucky to have a hardworking and experienced man like Wike as their minister. Having known. that when he was the governor of Rivers state, he engineered the transformation of the state infrastructural landscape coupled with the fact that he is serious in whatever he is doing any where he goes are precisely the reasons why many FCT residents greeted his appointment with optimism, as the capital city yearns for his kind of quality leadership and achievements.
It was nearly five decades after its creation; the Abuja landscape is clumsily littered with all manner of uncompleted projects in which some are white elephant in nature. Infact, some of the projects appear to be jinx as they have outlived several administrations of the FCT but yet remain uncompleted despite the huge amount of money that was invested in them. Immediately Wike assumed office as the minister of FCT, he didn’t waste time in tackling these gnawing problems headlong. The minister, with the strong backing of President Bola Tinubu, has established and demonstrated a strong will to achieve the desire goals for the FCT in addressing issues of projects that are either abandoned or with works ongoing but at snail pace. Among them are the Millennium Tower and Cultural center, the project was conceptualized in 2005 and awarded at a cost of $333 with projected completion in 2011. It was planned to be to Abuja what other major monuments across the world such as the London Bridge, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Statue of Liberty in the United States, are to those countries. The project has since been abandoned at just 40% rate of completion.
Additionally, through vibrancy, foresight and hard work, the minister has
resuscitated the N700 billion Abuja City Centre projects which was designed to include four international hotels, residential houses, offices and shops as well as condominium. In addition, the investors would construct a National Mall at the cost of $40million at no cost to the FCT Administration. Regrettably, the status of this project still remains unknown till date, 8 years after it was awarded. Other abandoned projects includes, world trade centre, the endless Apo-Karshi road, the construction of Karshi dam, Apo-Wasa road and the construction of 220-bed Utako General Hospital are just few among the projects that are abandoned by successive administrations in a span of more than 20 years. The minister’s foresight in governance and demonstration of innate capacity for innovative idea is quite remarkable and outstanding in addressing these issues.
Despite the rapid success recorded, the minister is not relenting in his quest to
rid the FCT of abandoned projects that is scattered all over the territory. The recent directive of the minister on the completion of the Vice President’s residence at Aso Drive that was abandoned for over 13 years, the Outer Southern Expressway, which stretched from A.A Rano in Asokoro, through Deeper Life Junction, SARS, Apo roundabout to Wasa District and the Outer Southern Expressway in Jahi District being constructed by Gilmor Construction firm among so many others. Wike’s unique capacity for performance has now tumed the capital city into a centre of booming projects.
Surprisingly, within this short period as FCT minister, all abandoned projects have been reactivated with completion date attached to each project. With these construction activities taking place all over FCT, the Abuja residents
have witnessed an unwavering pursuit of good governance and the fulfillment of people-centric development goals that led to the miraculous resuscitation of these abandoned projects. Wike’s achievement of this feat is not by magic but by a dint of hard work and perseverance. The combination of his virtues of forthrightness, audacity and prudence has served as a catalyst to his numerous achievements in FCT within this time, the feat that no one has ever achieved as a minister of FCT since its inception as the Federal Capital of Nigeria. No wonder Wike was nicked name “Mr Project” by Rivers people when he was their governor.
The minister’s achievements in the area of infrastructural development have
been extended to all sectors of the FCT. The recent contract award of N13.1 billion in the education sector, the May 29th deadline for the completion of Abuja light rail system, the distribution of metric tons of rice as a palliative measure to FCT employees, a kind of rare gesture that has never been seen in the history of the Federal Capital are just few among the numerous success recorded by the minister. This visionary framework of Nyesom Wike has detailed an ambitious roadmap for further development of the FCT that will remain indelible in the history of the Federal capital. Thus, Wike is not only a
minister of FCT but a shining light on the territory and its people
While on the issue of political feud between the minister and the incumbent governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara, that has degenerated to a state affair, it is pertinent to clarify the issues to anyone that cares to know. Though, I am neither a party to the case nor an indigene of Rivers state but when the situation is becoming very irresponsible and unacceptable, it is reasonable to say one or two things for the sake of posterity.
This protracted feud between the two is a classical case of governor Siminalayi Fubara bitting the fingers that fed him. It is a known fact that the governor was under the tutelage of Wike all his life till he became a governor of Rivers state on 29th May 2023. What can be strongly established is that, Fubara is a political creation of Nyesom Wike, who made him Permanent Secretary, Accountant General of Rivers State and later anointed him as his successor against the wishes of the state party executive all within a twinkle of an eye. It was a known fact that Fubara was not even a politician but he was smuggled into the PDP through the back door by Wike. Also, he didn’t even buy a nomination form to express his interest in contesting the state governorship election in 2023 and therefore, he didn’t spend a dime throughout the election process. Wike has done it all for him.
During the 2023 governorship campaigns in the state, not many people knew the man Siminalayi Fubara, other than he was the man Governor Nyesom Wike wanted to succeed him as a governor of Rivers in 2023. As such, Wike was all over the place campaigning for him. In a nutshell, he installed him as a PDP governor of Rivers state as his successor in May 29 2023 despite his own defiant relationship with the party at the national level. When opposition parties challenged Fubara’s election at the election tribunal, Wike again stepped in and worked it out for him as usual. Mr Wike has shown so much love and trust for Fubara just like his own paternal son. But immediately Fubara assumed office on 29th May 2023, he was so desperate in showing his true colour of an ingrate. By riding the political machinery of his master and rose to power without working for it, makes him to be so pompous with the illusion of being smart and that has resulted into a reign of impunity and egoism which has now overtaken Rivers. Fubara’s decision to antagonize his god father has amount to a blunder that will end his political ambition prematurely.
At this juncture, it is pertinent to emphasize that the dubious intrigues and recklessness of the badly behave Fubara will not confer any advantage on him. He failed to realize that he is a political novice whose intrigues and gimmicks are within the palm of his godfather. He should have known that he is only a Lilliputian at the sight of his god father as long as Rivers politics is concern. In view of this, I want to remind Fubara that, Wike is a warrior who has never lost a political battle, this implies that the governor has started a fight that he will never win. In view of this, I can say with confidence that
Fubara has committed a political suicide.
Governor Fubara have underestimated Wike’s political capability, the governor should have realized that Wike is more powerful than the whole of Rivers political big wigs combined including the governor himself and that is why I likened the fight between the two of them as a fight between an “elephant and a rat”. Mr Wike have some magical strength that is beyond the plots of his political foes. Thus, Wike is an undisputable political emperor in
Rivers and beyond.
Gov Fubara should have been grateful to God for having Wike as his political god father and not otherwise, therefore, he should have been a loyal godson under any circumstances. Despite been an executive governor of Rivers state,
Fubara should always remind himself that Wike picked him from the bottom of the ladder, nurtured him and made him what he is today and that should have warrants him to be grateful and politically loyal to Wike at all times without any hesitation. Even though a seed of discord have been sown by governor Fubara, notwithstanding, it is not too late to come to terms with reality by beating a retreat and lean up with his godfather in order to avoid an end to the beginning of his political career. The governor should realize that democracy is a process, not a destination and therefore, he can’t do without wike as far as
Rivers politics is concern.
conclusion, it is worthy for the governor to note that, Wike’s achievement in
In the political circle have overshadowed any political wizard and demons in the whole of south south. Wike has redefined the political governance of Rivers state and left indelible marks that can never be achieve by any politician from the state and not even the incumbent governor Fubara. Thus, political history of Rivers state will never be complete without mentioning Wike’s name and therefore, he will always be a political god father in Rivers as long as he lives.
Signed: Ibrahim Mustapha
imustybaba10@gmail.com
