By KEMI KASUMU
In what looks like placing of self in position as spokesman of over 200 million people currently suffering from generally believed to be misplaced policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration since his first one hour in office on May 29, 2023, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, says Nigerians are happy and are satisfied with performance and all other things the President is doing.
Wike stated this during an inspection tour of ongoing road construction projects in the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
Tinubu, in his inauguration speech on May 29, made a short but far-reaching sentence declaration – “subsidy is gone” – and since then, better living system has gone from the hitherto doing well Nigerians to the extent that, now under six months in office, that single policy of him cum the more compounding one of allowing the Naira float with dollars has seen even the also crying.
Many Nigerians are also hit with scare of a possible nation descent into chaos from several attempts to destroy institutions of state namely the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and administration of justice.
Among several institutions of state destroyed, aside INEC an agency of the Executive are also the Judiciary with all the contradictions of judges now delivering judgments via social media network of Zoom citing insecurity from millions of voters who only demand justice amidst huge investments in security, and the Legislature that is now clearly said to be an appendage of personality of the man in the Office of the President.
Nigerians’ buying capacity has drastically dropped to the ground zero, while activities of the non-state actors granted the rights of social and economic system management like transportation and market in- especially Nigeria’s largest economy – Lagos have continued to create hardships for the people, who are now finding it uneasy to feed, live, educate their children and go tlforbtreatmebt in hospital, with no sign hope to come.
But the former Governor of Rivers State who, after the anti-party activities he did against his leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in partnership with the President now in office, was compensated with the appointment of Minister of the FCT looked the other way and spoke for the same grumbling Nigerians saying they are happy and satisfied with performance of the President.
Although the huge development that Abuja witnessed until his coming was not by ghost but those that made the FCTA work, Wike has been accused of acting as an executive office in Abuja and of painting a scenario that none of his predecessors as Minister of FCT had done well.
According to Wike, whose use of official assignment of road inspection to play politics earned him the criticism that trailed his Wednesday’s comments, the FCT Administration’s investment in road infrastructure will boost economic activities in the capital city, Abuja.
The minister inspected the Outer Southern Expressway which stretched from A. A Rano, behind the villa through Deeper Life Junction, SARS, Apo roundabout to Wasa District.
The road is being constructed by China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Limited.
Wike also inspected the Northern N-20 Expressway in Jahi District being constructed by Gilmor Construction firm.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) rrepored that the minister had on Tuesday inspected roads B12, B6 and Circle Road in Central Area, Abuja as well as Southern Parkway.
According to him, the roads once completed will boost economic activities in the FCT.
“This is what the people want. It is not theory; it is practical. let them see the action. They have lost hope, but hope is coming back through the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“When I came on board, these roads were abandoned and I had to invite the contractors, and then we sat down and agreed on the way to fund the projects.
“The contractors have assured us that these roads will be completed on time.”
Wike said that some of the projects have been earmarked to mark President Tinubu’s one year in office, adding that there would be a lot of road commissioning in Abuja soon.
He commended the contractors for the job done so far and urged them not to lower the quality of work.
“I am pleased that the people are happy as they are satisfied with what President Tinubu’s administration is doing.
“It is not magic; it is a matter of commitment to satisfy our people. When you do the right thing, the people will jubilate,” the minister said.
