Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has again defended the recent infrastructural strides under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, including the newly inaugurated Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre and the organized transport terminals springing up across Abuja.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Kugbo Bus Terminal in the FCT on Thursday, Wike lamented the long-standing lack of an organized transport system in the nation’s capital. He said the current administration is taking decisive steps to correct that, with new transport hubs being developed to ensure commuter safety and accountability.
“Since the creation of Abuja, we’ve never had a functional and secure transport system where commuters can trace the bus they boarded in case of emergencies,” he said. “With this new system, if anyone chooses to take the risk of boarding random roadside buses and falls into the hands of ‘one chance’ criminals, it’s entirely on them. Government has done its part.”
Wike clarified that the terminals would be privately managed for sustainability. “This is not to be handled by the Secretariat for Transportation. It will be managed by business-minded private operators who know how to run it well and pay revenue to the government,” he stated. He further announced that the role of the Transportation Secretariat in the project had concluded.
The Minister also addressed recent criticism surrounding the ₦39 billion spent on the renovation of the Abuja International Conference Centre, now renamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. He dismissed the backlash as politically motivated and revealed that the facility has been fully booked until 2027.
“People pretend they don’t like good things. But let me tell you, as I speak, that Conference Centre has no free date until 2027. Even the Deputy Speaker’s request for a constitutional review meeting is pending because there’s simply no available space,” Wike said.
He stressed that even arms of government must pay to use the facility, noting, “Yes, you help us pass our budget, but that doesn’t mean free access. We need to maintain this standard.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was present at the event, echoed Wike’s sentiment while representing President Tinubu. He jokingly asked the Minister to consider refunding some booking fees to accommodate the constitutional review conference. He also urged Wike not to allow bookings for 2028, as the APC would need the venue to celebrate another electoral victory.
Wike took the opportunity to call out what he described as political hypocrites, referencing unnamed politicians who publicly decry government spending but lavish luxuries behind closed doors. “Some people say they’re hungry now. But they were governors, ministers, and speakers for eight years each and never said they were hungry. It’s only now, outside office, they say they’re suffering,” he quipped.
He urged Nigerians to be more discerning and recognize sincere leadership. “We don’t need those who offer champagne at home and cry about hardship in public,” Wike said. “President Tinubu is delivering on his mandate, and Abuja is the proof. Come and see the transformation.”
Wike praised the administration’s successes so far, calling it a “government of results” and expressed satisfaction at being part of it. “We’re proud to be part of an administration that works. Let those who doubt us come and see what we’ve done. Challenge us.”
He concluded with a passionate call for citizens to fulfill their civic duties: “Pay your taxes, pay your ground rent. That’s how we’ll keep the city moving forward.”
The event was attended by key federal lawmakers, FCT officials, and members of the public.
