…Explains absence from Council of State meeting
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports that he boycotted last week’s Council of State meeting because his preferred nominee was not considered for the position of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
Speaking on Tuesday at the commissioning of an access road in Sector Centre, Dakibiyu, Jabi District of Abuja, Wike described such claims as “propaganda and blackmail,” insisting he had no nominee for the INEC job.
“Sometimes last week Thursday, we had a flag off, and I told the Minister of State, FCT, to represent me at the Council of State meeting. I had already informed Mr President that I would not be available because of other engagements. But people went out to say I was absent because my nominee was not picked for INEC chairmanship. That is not true. I work for Mr President. His judgment has always been about putting this country in the right perspective,” Wike said.
President Bola Tinubu had at the meeting nominated Prof. Joash Amupitan as INEC chairman, but some partisans had alleged that Wike boycotted the meeting because his preferred candidate for the plum job was not approved by the president.
The former Rivers State governor urged Nigerians to ignore “false stories” and focus on the ongoing developmental projects under President Tinubu’s administration.
According to him, critics have ran out of points as the FCT continues to roll out infrastructure projects across the capital.
“Today, they have nothing again to say. They say we are concentrating on roads. I say, cool down. Take it easy. Very soon, they will see us focusing on schools. So, critics have nothing again to say. They wake up in the morning, turn on their television, and it is FCT everywhere. We will keep them busy with more projects,” he added.
Wike, who praised the contractor and FCT Administration officials for delivering the road project, also commended his Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud for what he called “uncommon cooperation.”
“It is not easy to have two ministers work so closely and cooperatively. I was a Minister of State before, and I know what happens in other ministries. Without working together, you cannot achieve anything. So, I commend the Minister of State for the support,” he said.
The minister stressed that the successes recorded in the FCT were possible because of President Tinubu’s leadership.
He said Abuja residents and Nigerians at large should expect more tangible results as the administration marks its third anniversary next year.
“No matter how you may hate anybody, no matter how you felt when you lost the election, somebody has to win. Even if you hate Mr President, can you deceive yourself to the point of saying nothing is happening in the FCT? Certainly not. What you see here is the dividend of democracy, and more is coming,” Wike stated.
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