Projects, not propaganda will win votes in Abuja — Wike
By Ukpono Ukpong
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that the numerous infrastructural projects being delivered in Abuja under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu are enough to speak for the administration, warning political opponents not to waste funds on campaigns ahead of the area council elections.
Wike made the statement during the commissioning of the newly constructed right-hand service carriageway of the Inner Northern Expressway (INEX) from Ring Road 3 (RR3) to the Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway) in Abuja.
He said what the FCT Administration has achieved within a short time is the true campaign.
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“I don’t know those who want to run elections in the area councils, I don’t know what they will preach to the people,” he said. “So let people not waste their money. The result is known by what we have shown.”
He also emphasized that the successes recorded under his leadership in the FCT were only possible due to the backing of President Tinubu. Using a metaphor, he said, “Monkey dey jump, monkey dey jump, na because tree near tree. If monkey jump no tree, him leg go break.”
This is as he warned the opposition hopefuls banking on propaganda: “Not when you say you are rigged. No, look at the rigging here now. The project is the rigging. When you provide what the people want, everything is gone.”
The 16-kilometre road linking Idu to Zuba, Wike revealed, was first awarded in 2014 at the cost of ₦7 billion but was delayed for 11 years and only completed now at ₦31 billion due to inflation and neglect.
He attributed its completion to the support and political will of President Tinubu, who, he said, has made it a policy to finish all abandoned but impactful projects.
“When we were inaugurated in August 2023, I came to this place and asked myself, how did you come about awarding this kind of road that you know you are not going to finish?
“With commitment, you can say, let the company collect ₦500 million monthly from our IGR, and in one year, you’ve paid ₦6 billion. But the road has taken 11 good years. Simple arithmetic.”
The Minister highlighted the strategic importance of the corridor as an industrial zone and lamented years of stunted economic development due to administrative lapses.
“For years, they had no C-of-O to assure them that they can continue with the job,” he said. “When we came, I immediately ordered that the C-of-O should be given to them, and that has been done within two weeks. Today, that area will create not less than 40,000 direct jobs.”
He further revealed that investors have shown readiness to complete the remaining sections of the industrial site if granted tax incentives.
“They are willing to do it, but of course, there will be tax concessions. We’ve forwarded it to the Ministry of Finance, and we believe it will be resolved,” he added.
Wike stressed that infrastructure is the foundation of economic growth, noting that no investor will be attracted without functional road networks.
“Investors will come when there are roads. Their duty is not to come and do roads for you. You are to provide the basic infrastructure,” he stated.
While expressing gratitude for the President’s consistent involvement in the FCT’s development, Wike noted that Tinubu had personally commissioned five projects and sent high-level representatives for five others over the past 10 days.
“We are telling Nigerians that Mr. President has done quite well for the people of Abuja,” he affirmed.
