By Ben Adoga, with agency report
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has praised the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for transforming the FCT in both infrastructure and administration in a very short time.
Abbas said this yesterday during the inauguration of the construction of the Mabushi Bus Terminal, Phase I, in Abuja.
The Speaker noted that President Bola Tinubu had been vindicated in his appointment of Wike and that it was the right choice. He said the sterling performances of the FCT Minister had justified his appointment and that residents and others were happy with Wike’s record performances so far.
“I would like to use this opportunity to commend the exemplary leadership and vision of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. In a remarkably short period, he has spearheaded the transformation of Abuja, by completing numerous strategic road and infrastructure projects with remarkable speed and efficiency,” the speaker said.
He, however, reiterated the need to improve infrastructure in the FCT to meet the standard of a modern city.
“The Federal Capital Territory is strategically important as the capital city of Nigeria, and we must equip it with modern infrastructure to support its key role. This includes developing robust road networks, fostering economic mobility, and providing essential social infrastructure and amenities.”
He noted that so far Wike had started providing infrastructure that makes Abuja comparable to other modern cities like New York and Paris.
“Road networks and functional bus terminals are the lifeblood of modern cities. They facilitate the seamless movement of people, goods, and services, thereby fostering economic interaction and growth. The construction of the Mabushi Bus Terminal is a critical step towards enhancing transportation infrastructure in the FCT and ensuring that residents can commute safely and efficiently.”
The Speaker assured Wike of the support of the National Assembly, through the instrumentality of oversight and good supervision to ensure quality jobs.
In a remark, Wike said, “A city like Abuja without a befitting bus and taxi terminal is a security concern for us.
“Under the renewed hope agenda, to reduce insecurity like ‘one – chance’ we made a proposal to the National Assembly for three bus terminals which was approved.”
Wike noted that despite the approval, the terminal for the central area could not take place as scheduled as the location had been allocated to a private citizen, and a C of O was given.
He noted that leadership required a firm decision and when decisions were taken in the public interest, not everybody would be happy with it as some people would take offence.
Wike assured that the project would be ready for Mr. President to commission during his second anniversary by May 29, 2025.
Facilities at the bus terminal included the terminal building, information desk, waiting room, ticket room, ATM points, retail shops, public address system, and others.
The Mabushi Terminal is one of the four flag-offs that the minister will undertake each day of the week.
*Minister condemns lawmaker over negative comments on FCT schools
Meanwhile, Wike has threatened to unseat an unidentified lawmaker for criticising his successes as the FCT Minister.
Wike made the threat during the inauguration of the construction of Mabushi Bus Terminal, Phase I, in Abuja.
He said that he overheard somebody, a lawmaker in the National Assembly on Arise TV in the morning, castigating the successes being recorded in FCT.
The minister said that the lawmaker particularly criticised the rot in schools and the absence of quality hospitals in the territory.
“You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sector? I challenge that legislator. If you are very popular, in 2027 come and run under Abuja, we will fail you.
“Do you think that what happened last time will happen again? It will not happen again. Luckily for me, I am the FCT Minister now. So that is my territory and I’m not afraid,” he said.
Wike further said, “With all due respect, what you don’t know, you don’t know, what you know you know. The good thing for you is to tell people you don’t know when you don’t know, then people will educate you.
“The Honourable Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, and my humble self have not been in office for more than 11 months and the person is angry that people are praising us. If you don’t want to or you are angry about that, go and hang yourself in a transformer.
“If we have done well; we have done well. If we haven’t done well; we haven’t done well. I’m proud to say that in the short time that President Tinubu has appointed us, we have done well.”
The minister warned that if the unidentified lawmaker was angry with the praises they were receiving for doing a good job, “by next year, your blood pressure level will go very high.
“This is because the praises you would see would be too much,” he said.
In a related development, Senator Ireti Kingibe (LP-FCT), who appeared on Arise TV yesterday, complained that she was being sidelined in the running of the FCT.
Kingibe particularly claimed that her constituency was being marginalised, adding that there was no clean water for the residents of Abuja.
She also said that roads being constructed across the FCT were not addressing the needs of the majority of the people, namely healthcare, water, education, and security.
