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No room for corruption in Abuja anymore – Wike * Says, Abuja metro ready in six months
Anybody planning how to skew the process for personal advantage, would discover the hard way that there is a new sheriff in town and it would no longer be business as usual, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said on Wednesday.
Wike, former Governor of Rivers State and the only Minister of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or member of the opposition in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this solemn declaration on the floor of the National Assembly, where he presented and defended a N61billion supplemental budget for the year 2023.
The Minister, whose is presenting the fresh estimates one month to the end of 2023, said components of the proposal, were projects-specific, added that President Bola Tinubu would commission most of them including the Abuja Metroline by May as part of activities marking the president’s one year in office.
According to him, the N61 billion FCT Supplementary Budget was drawn from its Paris Club refund, PAYE, the N5billion special presidential intervention for states, the presidential infrastructure support funds and the territory’s Internally Generated Revenue IGR.
For instance, Wike, who assured that the President would commission the metro line by May adding that part of the project, which would ease the movement of the people in the capital, was already contained in the national budget, presented by Tinubu on the same day.
Wike, who also spoke on the fate of victims of the administration’s demolition exercises, blamed them for the situation, saying there was no way that the desire of a world-class Federal Capital Territory by Nigerians could materialise with those entrusted with making it happen engaging in excuses for unplanned and illegal developments.
Noting that demolitions could not be stopped as long as people continue to build on green areas, water and sewage lines and other unapproved places, he said the Administration would however pay compensation in areas designated for resettlement.
He said: “We can’t stop demolitions. You cannot go and build in a green area and then when we demolish, you want us to compensate you. Illegality is illegality. But if we want to acquire your property for development, we will pay you.”
Wike, who justified his decision to engage Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to help handle cases involving the Administration, lamented that the lack of diligent prosecution of cases in the past by FCT officials led to the loss of a number of cases, adding that over 800 litigations involving the FCT, were currently pending in various courts.
Wike, who also alleged complicity on the part of some officials who connived with plaintiffs to get judgments against the FCT Administration, he said: “I have never seen a territory with over 800 litigations. Some of these litigations were in connivance with staff of the FCT. So, I said I will engage SANs because I don’t want a situation whereby someone will go to court and then agree with the plaintiffs and judgment is entered against the FCT.”
Revealing that his administration would revive the city’s mass transit system to eliminate cases of “one chance”, adding that private operators would undergo security vetting before being allowed into the system, he added that he was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) with regards to providing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in strategic parts of the city.
Accusing some of his staff of using some Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) entered into by the FCT with some private developers, to fleece the administration, he vowed to cancel the contracts, adding: “I will cancel several PPPs. All the PPPs in Abuja are about land and are against the FCT.”
Citing a case in Wassa where the FCT gave a developer land for mass housing, and gave him another N85billion for infrastructure, he lamented a situation where the same developer would go and build houses, and sell to people at market value without anything coming to the government.
On the recertification of all Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os,) he said: “All C of Os will be recertified and you will put your NIN. In FCT, there are a lot of fake C of Os but with this new development, we will end that and security-wise, we can know people who own each structure. If you have a C of Os and you have enjoyed recertified, it will no longer be valid,” he stated.
Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara lauded the minister for his passion for developing the territory, however urged him to reconsider the uniform fees for obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy, saying highbrow areas like Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse and others cannot have the same fees with the satellite towns.
Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, seems to find merit in the damning verdict of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), accusing security agencies in Nigeria of complicity in the deluge of terrorist attacks in the country.
Jare Ajayi, National Secretary of the group, in agreeing with the position, posited on Wednesday: “This is because of the strong belief that the nature of terrorism bedeviling Nigeria would not be festering for this long without complicity from some powerful quarters.”
Though he acknowledged the determination of some patriotic operatives and government to stem the tide, he posited how difficult it was to believe that the activities of the terrorists would continue to thrive without active connivance.
Hear him: “With the vows by the President and top security officers, one has the feeling that the government is determined to end terrorism in Nigeria. When President Bola Tinubu appointed General Christopher Musa, (retd), as Minister of Defence, we had a lot of hope that within months, a total stop would be put to terrorism and banditry in the country.
“Unfortunately, there seems to be a spike, rather than reduction. The reason for this could be rooted in sabotage and complicity from within and from without. This tends to buttress the alarm raised by the US Commission.”
Stressing how the organisation been consistently calling the attention of authorities to areas that needed be looked into he maintained that these included politicians, who could be complicit in promoting the urgly situation.
Citing the recent comments by Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, who pointed in the same direction, Ajayi stated that no matter how unpalatable the position of the US body could be: “It is very important not to dismiss it but to use it a beacon with which to comb all areas.”
“Many people doubted us. Some dismissed us. Others predicted confusion, division, and even outright collapse. But you stood firm. You kept faith with the ADC. And today, because of your commitment, our party stands taller, stronger, and more united.”
With these words, David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday’s night showered praises on members for conducting what he considered a flawless presidential primary election to choose its candidate for the 2027 election.
Mark, Senate President from 2007 to 2015, his audience at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, that by the outcome, the party had demonstrated that democracy and political competition could still thrive in Nigeria without crisis or division.
Regardless of the rejection of the result of the exercise by Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), who contested in the exercise, the former Chairman of the National Assembly, was still upbeat about its outcome.
Atiku Abubakar, Vice President between 1999 and 2007, had emerged winner of the process that took place across Nigeria from Monday till Wednesday, when the result was eventually announced.
The declared result showed that the former VP who would be running for the nation’s number one job for a record seven times came tops with Atiku 1,846,370, to Amaechi’s 504,117 and Hayat-Deen’s 177,120. Total votes cast in the election: 2,546,457 in the 3,113,599 tally.
Mark, who officially presented the ADC flag to Atiku as the party’s presidential standard-bearer, was emphatic that the exercise was not merely about producing a presidential candidate but about proving that internal democracy could still function effectively in the country.
Hear him: “Today is not just about announcing a presidential candidate. Today is also about proving a point to Nigeria and to Nigerians. It is about proving that democracy can still work.
“Proving that political competition does not have to become political warfare. That a party can organise itself around principles instead of personalities. This event has shown that in a season of deep national anxiety, a bright future is still possible.”
Stressing that had doubted the party’s ability to conduct a peaceful and credible primary, with some predicting division and collapse within the ADC, he praised members of the Presidential Screening Committee and Presidential Primary Election Committee for what he described as their professionalism and commitment to fairness despite pressure surrounding the exercise.
“In the face of enormous pressure, logistical complexity, and intense national attention, they carried out their responsibilities with courage, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency. The conduct of the primary has strengthened confidence in the party and its democratic process.
“Their work has strengthened the credibility of this exercise and reinforced the confidence of our members and the Nigerian people in the integrity of the African Democratic Congress.
“It is important to mention that we are the only political party to have three strong aspirants contest for the presidential ticket. This alone makes the ADC unique in its deep commitment to democracy and democratic practices.
“By subjecting themselves to this process, they did not merely contest an election. They strengthened democracy. And despite efforts in some quarters to create uncertainty and tension, they remained committed to this process and to the ideals of this party,” he added.
For Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the first female Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), it was another day of glory, as Alex Otti, Governor of Abia laid out another red carpet for her in lieu of her starling performance in the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The university don, was the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who was nationally recognised for standing her ground against forces that reportedly tried to skew the process, leading to the emergence of Otti as governor.
Since then, she had received several recognitions including from the governor and other bodies, including her own students at FUTO, who gave her a heroic welcome upon the conclusion of her INEC task – the first and only one to be so accorded in Nigeria.
Wednesday’s recognition came through the naming of the newly inaugurated Umuahia Central Bus Terminal, a multimodal transport facility in the state capital after her, by the governor, who said it was in recognition of her role in that exercise.
Otti, who stressed that the decision was informed by her act of courage, integrity and commitment to truth, said: “This terminal has been named after Professor Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, the courageous INEC returning officer who demonstrated unflinching integrity in the discharge of her duties during a high-stakes election assignment here in Abia.”
The governor, while stating that the honour was not limited to don alone but symbolised all individuals who resisted electoral manipulation added: “In 2023, through her courageous disposition of standing firmly by the truth… she reminded us that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results by simply saying no.
“So she’s just a representative of all of you—INEC staff who never bent, party officials who didn’t give in, security agencies… people who said no to intimidation.”
Stressing that the state had moved beyond basic infrastructure delivery to building an integrated transport system, he said: “The days of playing small is over. We shall no longer confine ourselves to the margins.”
He explained that the terminal was designed to accommodate over 340 buses and would improve accessibility, safety and efficiency in urban transport operations, adding that it would be supported by electric bus services, with 20 already in operation, while additional units are expected in phases.
“Services will keep improving as more buses are delivered… and you can tell with accuracy when a particular bus will arrive and depart,” he said.
He urged residents to protect the facility and support government efforts by maintaining order and paying taxes, warning against vandalism, waste disposal violations and other practices that could undermine the project, stressing that offenders would face sanctions.
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