The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, dismissed the coalition formed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others against President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, stating it was “doomed from inception” and “dead on arrival.”
Wike, speaking with characteristic bluntness during the inauguration of the Apo-Wasa Road’s left-hand side service lane by President Tinubu (represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio), asserted the alliance lacked unity, vision, and political will.
President Tinubu, through Akpabio, commended Wike, urging him to disregard “naysayers” and remain focused. He emphasized that the minister would be remembered for his “visible legacies” in the capital city, not for how he responded to critics.
The FCT Minister did not hold back, challenging opposition figures to “continue to be angry” over the administration’s project inaugurations. “May you never be happy in your life because you choose not to be happy,” Wike declared, adding, “I am here to please the residents of Abuja, not unnecessary critics. I have no business with you. I will continue to give you high blood pressure.”
He highlighted the unprecedented commissioning of projects for 17 consecutive days, differentiating it from mere “flag-offs.” Wike vowed continued support for the President, stating, “We will not disappoint you.”
Wike also staunchly defended the N39 billion spent on renovating the International Conference Centre, now renamed after President Tinubu. He slammed critics like Labour Party’s Peter Obi, who had deemed the expenditure inflated and a misplaced priority.
“Anybody who loved the country would not criticise the renovation,” Wike argued, emphasizing Nigeria’s status as the “giant of Africa” must be reflected in its infrastructure. He dismissed critics as lacking “good taste,” taking a veiled swipe at Obi’s ‘one-shoe’ analogy.
Responding to comparisons with the centre’s original 1991 construction cost, Wike challenged critics to consider the difference in exchange rates between then and 2025. “People will just sit down for the sake of criticising,” he lamented. “Oh, they built it with billion. So what? We have taste. We want the best for the country.”
He further taunted the opposition regarding their electoral prospects: “You that cannot win an election. He is telling us misplaced priorities. If you had priorities, Nigerians would have voted for you… Wait, 2027 is here. We don’t need to kill ourselves. When the jungle matures, we will know.”
Wike concluded by reiterating his commitment to defending the President, attributing his and the FCT Minister of State Mariya Mahmoud’s success to presidential support.
President Tinubu, in his remarks, praised Wike for reviving abandoned FCT projects with “discipline, quality, and time-earned speed.” He remarked on the newly inaugurated 15-kilometre Apo-Wasa Road (Outer Southern Expressway), a key artery linking the city center to developing areas, stating, “Even the blind walking through this Wasa Road will know Nigeria is indeed working.”
