Why I will continue to support Tinubu — Wike

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has explained why he will continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even in the next presidential election.

Speaking during his routine live media parley at his official residence in Life Camp, Abuja, Wike said it was clear that Tinubu has the capacity and the courage to take the country to where it should be.

The Minister, who said all past Presidents had claimed that fuel subsidy was a scam yet did not have the courage to do the needful, stated that though there was initial hardship arising from the subsidy removal, things are now beginning to look up.

He said, “Our problem is leadership. Tinubu has the capacity. All former presidents said the petroleum subsidy was a scam. He, Tinubu, removed subsidy even before he went into his office. In leadership, when you want to do something, don’t do it haphazardly. He (Tinubu) knows that there will be challenges; he knows we will suffer initially. Today, things are beginning to change; states are getting more money for it.”

He reiterated his support for a Southern President and stated that he chose Tinubu over Peter Obi, even as a Southern candidate, because it was Tinubu who had the chance of winning the election.

“I made it clear that I was not going to support Atiku. It was the turn of the South to produce the President in 2023. I chose Tinubu over Obi because he had the chance of winning. It was Tinubu who had the capacity to take Nigeria to where it should be. Tinubu has what it takes to make the right judgement.”

Responding to a question on working in the APC government while still in the PDP, Wike said, “Me working for an APC government is not new. We forget history. Chief Bola Ige worked for Obasanjo’s administration from a different party. Did he have a double face? I told the PDP to put their house in order. What’s happening now—am I not vindicated?” Wike stated.

Talking about the revocation of the University of Abuja land, Wike said the former FCT Minister, Muhammed Musa Bello, had already revoked the University of Abuja land before he came in as Minister.

Wike explained that already the EFCC Academy, the Police, and the DSS had been allocated parts of the land before he became FCT Minister. He said that the 4,000 hectares left for the university was large enough. Explaining, Wike said 4,000 hectares is not 4,000 acres, and that the remaining land was enough for the university.

When reminded that the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Lar Patricia Manko, had taken steps to recover the land belonging to the university that was revoked by the FCTA, Wike insisted that, “The former Minister revoked that land. The problem has been that he revoked it, and it was not implemented.

“Today, EFCC Academy, the Police, and the DSS are all there on that land in Gishiri District. I didn’t give them that land. UniAbuja was cutting out lands and collecting money. Eleven hectares were too much. I will not be Minister forever, but I will do the right thing.”

On the PDP crisis, Wike said the fight is over now, but there is “something remaining which I told them that they must do. Our South South zonal Congress that we held must be upheld.”

He said the Congress produced Chief Dan Orbih in Calabar, Cross River State, on the 5th, only for the National Officer to come out on the 8th to say the Congress was postponed. “I don’t like impunity. I will not allow it. I must fight it,” Wike affirmed.

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