ICC Closure: Refrain from attacking Wike, Arewa group

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The Arewa Youth Assembly has warned those attacking the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his decision to close the International Conference Centre (ICC) due to its deplorable state to refrain from doing so.

The group said it is distasteful that an individual or certain group of individuals will stoop so low as to lie, interwoven words, and sponsor a media campaign against the Minister for losing a job they have refused to manage effectively and efficiently, but receive a huge amount of money in the pretence of doing it.

In a statement signed by its Speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, the group explained that the International Conference Centre, as its name implies, stands very important for various functions of both domestic and foreign nature.

“It brings convention and exhibition facilities of a high international standard to the country, attracts foreign investors, and hosts very important occasions such as the collation of results by INEC every election period.

“Wike’s only crime is to refuse to allow this important piece, the ICC, to slide into a deplorable and sorry state. Hence all the lies and malicious campaigns against him.

“The authors of this script have unknowingly succeeded in exposing their selfish and wicked desire to always put themselves above the country. They have continued to display their ignorance and lies by calling Wike all sorts of names that never match his description.

“How can Wike be a tribal or ethnic bigot when, as a Christian from the South, he supported the Muslim-Muslim ticket, a PDP member who is serving under the present APC administration? Truly, Wike is a detribalized Nigerian.

“The Igbo tag him anti-Igbo; Hausa says he is anti-Norwegian because his only goal is Nigeria, Nigeria first. A nationalist who is only interested in developing Nigeria irrespective of politics, tribe, or religion. Wike is a nationalist,” the statement said.

The group noted that the true unpatriotic, ethnic, and tribal bigots are those who are coercing Nigerians into believing lies and deception and those who are interested in making a fortune at the detriment of the sweat and blood of Nigerians.

“We call on Nigerians to continue to give their unwavering and undiluted support to the Honourable Minister to help him actualize the return of Abuja’s master plan and transform it into a London in Africa,” the statement added.

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