Take it or leave it, Barrister Nyesom Wike is a visionary leader who knows how to translate a slum into a modern city. This is the vision that has been brought to bear in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where the fading infrastructure are being restored. In this piece, SUNNY IDACHABA writes on the exploits of the minister since he assumed office.
It was former vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who saw it first when he referred to the current FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, then Rivers state governor as ‘Mr Project’. This was when the former paid an official visit to the latter in Port Harcourt 2017 to commission some projects. Osinbajo who was impressed by what he saw in the Garden City did not hide his emotion despite their separate political affiliation.
Today, as FCT minister, this former Rivers state governor, is plying his usual trade in the Federal Capital Territory with massive construction sites in every nook and cranny of not only the city centre of Abuja, but in all the area councils.
It could be recalled that for eight years, the territory under the immediate past FCT minister witnessed sparse development projects as the existing infrastructure were on the brink of collapse with no visible infrastructure started and completed. This was why on assuming office as president on May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was saddled with a herculean task of restoring the fast fading glory of the territory with abandoned projects dotting major spots especially in the city.
Part of his Renewed Hope Agenda was to restore confidence in the residents of the territory and for him, only a pragmatic minister in charge of the territory could do that.
Therefore the appointment of Nyesom Wike in that capacity in August 2023 has proved many of the naysayers wrong, especially in the area of restoring infrastructure to the territory.
Wike on his appointment noted with dismay that in the past, Abuja had witnessed foundation laying ceremonies of several structures worth billions that were never completed for inexplicable reasons.
To address the problem, he held a maiden meeting with the contractors handling different projects to ascertain the problems which were basically tied to funding.
Eventually, he got them back to site with an agreement to pay them regularly. He equally began the enforcement of the payment of outstanding ground rents and other taxes in the FCT thereby boosting the territory’s revenue. He didn’t stop there, but sought a presidential approval for the FCT to exit Treasury Single Account stress, a move that gave financial independent status to the territory. This placed the territory in a better light to execute projects seamlessly with prudent management. These therefore were the reasons behind the unprecedented projects being embarked upon in the territory.
Mission accomplished
Months later, the FCT administration announced the completion of several projects, many of which were pencilled for inauguration to mark the one anniversary of the Tinubu-led government. Some of these include the official residence of the vice president whose contract, though awarded in 2010, was abandoned by subsequent administrations. Others in that line were the rehabilitated Abuja Rail Mass Transit and access roads to the train stations and parking lots, the extension of Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) from the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) to the Southern Parkway, made up of 3.8km length of 10 lanes expressway which enables east-west movement on the southern flank of the city, linking the Abuja – Keffi highway. There were also the constructed Southern Parkway from the Christian Centre to Ring Road 1, different constructed/rehabilitated roads within the Central Business District.
Only just less than a year ago, after President Tinubu commissioned several completed projects in the city, in January 2025, Wike began another set of projects commissioning, this time, across the six Area Councils of the territory.
In a statement by Lere Olayinka, his senior special assistant on public communication, he said the week-long commissioning would begin with the newly constructed 5km Naharati-River Ukya to Unguwan Hausawa Road with a three-span bridge in Abaji Area Council, the 11km Yangoji-Sukuku-Ebo Road in Kwali Area Council, the rehabilitated 9km Paikon Kore-Ibwa Road in Gwagwalada Area Council, the Asphalt Carriageway from Garage Junction to the Local Education Authority Secretariat in Kuje Area Council, the Gaba-Tokulo Road in Bwari Area Council, featuring a two-span river bridge, the commissioning of the access road to Saburi I and II communities in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, stretching from ONEX to Old Keffi Road near Dei-Dei International Market.
Others are the 11km Yangoji-Sukuku-Ebo Road, in Kwali Area Council and the rehabilitated 9km Paikon Kore-Ibwa Road within Gwagwalada Area Council.
Royal appreciation
In appreciation for all these, the chairman, Traditional Council of Chiefs, Gwagwalada Area Council who is also the Aguma of Gwagwalada, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji, lauded Wike over infrastructure delivery in Gwagwalada and the territory. He made the commendation before newsmen recently while assessing the pace of work on completed and ongoing road projects in the area council.
He said, “I will begin by thanking God Almighty for our working minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for his resilience over the project that is being carried out in the entire FCT. The palace is optimistic, more than any other person, because the palace is the custodian of the town. I would like to say that the Honourable Minister of FCT has done a very wonderful job that was abandoned by the previous administration in Gwagwalada.
“Within the two years, he has done wonderfully. The market road that has been abandoned for years is at the accomplishment level, and he has taken up that of the market one way, which is ongoing.”
More commendations
While lauding the minister for the giant strides, a newspaper columnist, Keem Abdul said nothing short of commendation should Nigerians give to Wike over the rapid redevelopment of the capital city.
“In the one year since he became the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the first Southern Nigerian to hold the office since the inception of the country’s 4th Republic in 1999, this immediate past governor of Rivers state has simply picked up from where he left off at the end of his impactful tenure at the helm of affairs at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
“In a remarkable display of leadership and vision, the man fondly referred to by his admirers back home as ‘Mr. Projects’ has transformed the landscape of Abuja with a string of infrastructure landmarks that will leave a lasting impact on the capital city.”
Abdul said, “Not a few stakeholders agree that in the course of one year, Wike’s strides especially in the area of infrastructure have been nothing short of revolutionary; not only because of their implications for transportation and traffic management, but also for the fact that they have the potential to create massive employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians, as well as stimulate economic growth and development.
“Abuja is slowly but surely beginning to regain its lost glory and lustre. In recent years especially during the 8-year tenure of his predecessor, Abuja lost much of its vigour and vibe. Though a relatively young city, Abuja seemed rather exhausted; indeed, it was a city in a coma. Her developmental strides were unsteady and knee-jerk at best and retrogressive at worst, a reflection of the lack of conscious and transformational leadership that the city needed. It was a case of a sleeping giant in need of urgent awakening which Wike brought to bear.”
He who the cap fits
On the choice of Wike as helmsman for the capital territory, Abdul said it was a right decision made by President Bola Tinubu.
“His choice of Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (who, lest we forget, is a pillar of the leading opposition party, the PDP, and for years a thorn in the flesh of the president’s All Progressives Congress, APC) for the FCT portfolio reflected Tinubu’s understanding that the reversal of the territory’s dwindling fortunes called for exceptional leadership that will commence the accelerated implementation of the authentic Abuja Master Plan, improve socio-economic opportunities for residents and administer the FCT with uncommon innovativeness aimed at making Abuja a global destination of choice for business, investment and leisure.
“So, seriously did the president take the regeneration of Abuja that he didn’t mind reaching beyond the partisan (APC vs. PDP) divide to secure the services of the one man whom he knew would give the task every ounce of his considerable energy, intellect and passion for excellence.”
As the FCT minister himself noted recently, more development projects are on the way for 2025 so that the residents can really be proud that their money is well spent.
“The progress we have made is just the beginning. We are committed to sustaining this momentum and ensuring that Abuja continues to develop as a model city for Nigeria. We are vigorous in terms of revenue generation and people can see that when we ask them to pay taxes, it is not merely a request but an effort to develop their areas. This is not a time when taxes are paid without visible results; people can now see how their money is being utilised,” he said.