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 chosen as 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 the claims as “propaganda and blackmail,” insisting he had no nominee for the INEC position.
“Last Thursday, we had a flag-off, and I asked 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,” Wike said.
“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.”
At the Council of State meeting, President Bola Tinubu nominated Professor Joash Amupitan as INEC chairman. However, some commentators alleged that Wike’s absence was linked to his supposed disappointment over the decision.
The former Rivers State governor urged Nigerians to disregard such “false stories,” saying detractors were only trying to distract from the administration’s progress.
“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,” Wike added. “They wake up in the morning, turn on their television, and it is FCT everywhere. We will keep them busy with more projects.”
He commended the contractor and officials of the FCT Administration for the successful completion of the project, while praising 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 teamwork, you can’t achieve anything. So, I commend the Minister of State for her support,” he said.
Wike credited President Tinubu’s leadership for the successes recorded in the FCT, saying Abuja residents and Nigerians should expect more tangible results as the administration approaches 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,” he stated. “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.”
