Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has affirmed that he remains undistracted by the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. Instead, he is focused on his responsibilities in Abuja, ensuring that work progresses smoothly.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, made this statement on Friday during the final inspection of projects scheduled for inauguration by President Bola Tinubu in the coming weeks. Despite his ongoing conflict with the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike emphasized his commitment to his ministerial duties.
“I am not distracted. If I were, you wouldn’t see this level of performance here. I am focused on my work as minister of the FCT, and work is progressing well. I don’t even think about the situation in Rivers State,” Wike stated.
The conflict between Wike and Governor Fubara has intensified recently, with five commissioners loyal to Wike resigning from Fubara’s administration, adding to three others who had previously left. Additionally, a court has barred 25 state assembly members loyal to Wike from acting as lawmakers due to their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Both Wike and Fubara are members of the PDP.
Wike assured journalists that his focus on his ministerial role has enabled significant achievements in the FCT. He announced that President Tinubu has approved a nine-day FCT Week, starting May 27, for the inauguration of completed projects, including the launch of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit.
“By the President’s approval, we believe that from 27 May, we shall commence the inauguration of various projects. The president is also expected to flag off the commercial operation of the Abuja Metro line on the same day,” Wike said.
Key projects slated for inauguration during FCT Week include the official residence of the Vice President, the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from the Villa Roundabout to Ring Road 1, and the B6 and B12 Circle Road. Wike expressed satisfaction with the completion status of these projects and commended the contractors for adhering to the project timelines.
Regarding streetlights in the FCT, Wike noted that testing is ongoing in areas with current projects. He assured that the streetlights would be operational by the time of commissioning.
“As I speak, work is progressing on the streetlights. In most of the ongoing projects, the lights are not yet operational. However, we believe that before the commissioning, most of the lights will be on,” he added.