The administration has prioritised bridging the development gap between Abuja’s city centre and its satellite communities through road construction and other infrastructure projects
By Moses Okorie
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the territory will be its major selling point in securing public support.
Wike stated this on Tuesday during a media chat with journalists in Abuja, where he highlighted the administration’s achievements in security, infrastructure development and engagement with indigenous communities.
He dismissed suggestions that the administration was adopting a defensive political strategy in the FCT, insisting that its focus on visible projects and measurable results would shape residents’ perception of the government.
According to him, the administration has prioritised bridging the development gap between Abuja’s city centre and its satellite communities through road construction and other infrastructure projects.
The minister disclosed that 10 additional projects would be ready for inauguration in December, following the completion and inauguration of several others across the nation’s capital.
He identified road networks linking suburban communities, particularly the Apo-Karshi and Kubwa-Bwari corridors, as some of the projects expected to make a significant impact on residents.
On security, Wike said the administration had decentralised security operations through the construction of two new police stations in each of the FCT’s six area councils.
He also highlighted what he described as broad stakeholder participation in governance, noting that political leaders, former lawmakers and local council chairmen across party lines had been brought together to support government policies.
The minister further defended the administration’s record on issues concerning indigenous communities, including traditional institutions and appointments.
He challenged critics to identify any other civilian administration that had done more to accommodate the interests of the FCT’s indigenous population through appointments and other government initiatives.
Wike expressed confidence that the administration’s projects and policies had taken its message directly to residents, arguing that its record in office would be central to its appeal for public support.
He, however, acknowledged that the ultimate electoral outcome would be determined by voters through the democratic process.