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Wike declares FCT projects will determine 2026 elections, praises president’s leadership
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that President Bola Tinubu is deeply concerned about the disarray within Nigeria’s opposition parties, urging the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) to resolve their internal crises swiftly.
Speaking on Wednesday, June 25, at the inauguration of the Arterial Road N20 Interchange Bridges in Abuja, where he represented President Tinubu, Akpabio highlighted the PDP’s dispute over its National Secretary position and Senator Neda Imasuen’s defection from the LP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He noted that these developments sadden Tinubu, who values a robust opposition.
“However you people got yourself into this confusion, try and get yourself out of it very quickly. President Bola Tinubu GCFR is interested in seeing a vibrant opposition. As a true democrat, we would like to see a very vibrant opposition in the country. It saddens him when he sees the way the opposition in Nigeria is in disarray,” Akpabio said.
He added that the LP is also fractured, stating, “Just before I came here to represent him (Tinubu), I received and read a letter from the Labour Party. So it’s not only PDP that is in disarray. Even the Labour Party is cracked. And people who are strong members of the Labour Party are angling to run Nigeria when they cannot put a small political party like that in order.”
On defections, Akpabio welcomed new APC members, saying, “Senator Neda Imasuen just decamped this afternoon from the Labour Party and moved from the left-hand side of the Senate to the right-hand side… I’m happy to receive them because our doors are open in the All Progressive Congress. So congratulations to Imasuen, who has decided to leave the fractured Labour Party to join the APC.”
Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike criticized the PDP for delaying the implementation of a Supreme Court ruling reinstating Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary. Addressing Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Wike said, “I heard it when the acting National Chairman of PDP was directing the National Secretary to resume. The National Secretary is not your appointee. The National Secretary has been doing his work… you can’t call him to resume… If it’s because of your ignorance of the law, too bad. The law does not recognize ignorance.”
Wike urged Damagum to seek guidance rather than act out of ego, adding, “Continue to shoot yourself. I will not be a party of those who will shoot themselves. When you don’t know something, ask the right person… Money does not solve all the problems.”
Wike also declared that ongoing FCT development projects will be decisive in the 2026 Area Councils’ Elections, crediting Tinubu’s leadership for the progress. “Mr. President, let me again sincerely thank you. This is the 10th day you have commissioned various projects, executed through your directive by the FCT Administration,” he said.
He highlighted Tinubu’s hands-on approach, noting the President personally attended five commissioning events and delegated top officials for others. Wike emphasized Tinubu’s directive to prioritize projects impacting FCT residents’ lives and economy, stating, “Because of the directive of you, Mr. President, that every project that will have positive impact on the lives and economy of our people must be given priority attention, that is why today… we took it upon ourselves to see that these projects are completed.”
Wike underscored the importance of leadership, saying, “As the president has provided and is providing the right leadership, that is why we are seeing the results today… It’s just about commitment.” He also detailed his personal oversight, visiting project sites frequently to ensure completion, and praised contractor Gilmor Engineering Services for their reliability.
Challenging critics, Wike said, “Let anybody challenge the FCT Administration that all these roads and bridges we commissioned, that any previous administration completed it and we came to take over… If you know, for the past few years, from 2010 to 2023, there are projects we are commissioning that you say you had finished, please do us a favour by coming out to say these projects, we started it, we finished it.”
He emphasised tangible results over promises, stating, “This is not 3D. This is not what we will do. This is what we have done,” with six more commissioning days remaining.
