Wike: Political interests stalled Apo–Karshi Road for 14 years
FCT minister Nyesom Wike says politics is responsible for the prolonged delays on the Apo–Karshi Road, adding that the current administration is now focused on ending the hardship caused by stalled infrastructure across the territory.
Wike spoke during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Abuja, where he said restoring public confidence began with terminating the 14-year contract and handing the project to what he described as a more competent firm.
He said the Apo–Karshi Road had been a major concern since the administration took office in 2023, noting that the road project, first awarded in 2010, had gone through repeated variations without meaningful progress.
According to him, the contractor had returned to site and promised delivery within six months but failed to meet the deadline.
“Unfortunately, it was a very big disappointment and therefore we had no choice but to terminate it and give to a more competent and serious contractor which is SCC,” he said.
Wike said the decision to avoid a fresh procurement cycle was intended to prevent further delays caused by bureaucracy and the rainy season. He added that the priority was to ease the burden on commuters and reconnect communities in the Apo and Wassa axis.
“I think it’s a major decision we took and for the interest of the people of Abuja,” he said.
The minister said similar issues were found on the Bwari–ONEX corridor in Kubwa after a physical assessment of the road. He said SCC had also been engaged to undertake full rehabilitation after several sections were identified as requiring urgent attention.
At the Kubwa project, Wike said drainage construction was progressing and that the old lanes would be removed for fresh asphalt. He said the administration was giving renewed attention to satellite and rural communities.
“It has never happened, never in the history of Abuja since Abuja was created that we have such an attention to the rural communities,” he said.
On SCC’s 12-month delivery pledge, Wike said the firm had shown more seriousness than the previous contractor, adding that political pressure not to cancel the earlier contract could not override the public interest.
“How many times have you seen the equipment there? But look at today, you can see that this is a company that is very, very serious,” he said.
He said the project would finally give Apo–Karshi residents a sense of inclusion under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He added that the same level of attention was being extended across the city and surrounding communities.
Wike, however, noted that no administration can complete all projects within a single term.
“So, we will do the best we can. And having done our best, when another person comes, they can continue from there,” he said.
On the recovery of funds previously paid to the former contractor, Wike said the matter would be handled legally.
“I don’t want to go into that. I don’t want anything take will take us back. We just have to move forward,” he said, adding that the focus now was to complete the road.
Wike also confirmed that the stretch earlier constructed by the former contractor would be removed.
“It’s about 13-14 kilometers. So everything they have done we are going to remove it because we believe it’s not of standard, and the people there deserve the best,” he said.
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