In the one year since he became the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory – the first Southern Nigerian to hold the office since the inception of the country’s 4th Republic in 1999 – the immediate past Governor of Rivers State has simply picked up from where he left off at the end of his impactful tenure at the helm of affairs at the Government House in Port Harcourt. In a remarkable display of leadership and vision, the man fondly referred to by his admirers back home as ‘Mr.
On Wike’s watch, Abuja is slowly but surely beginning to regain its lost glory and lustre. In recent years Abuja lost much of its vigour and vibe. Though a relatively young city, Abuja seemed rather exhausted; indeed, it was a city in a coma. Her developmental strides were unsteady and knee-jerk at best, and retrogressive at worst – a reflection of the lack of conscious and transformational leadership. Abuja was a sleeping giant in need of urgent awakening.
Those dry years were an Ichabod moment for Nigeria’s once-sparkling federal capital; a time when her glory simply departed. And on all these counts, Wike has begun to deliver – in a manner that has given a tremendous boost in public appreciation and cautious optimism in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. .
Characteristically, the Minister himself hasn’t been shy about outlining his ministry’s achievements – especially in 4 of the 9 areas listed as Presidential Priorities and Deliverables – namely: provision of critical infrastructure; creation of a safe and secure environment; improving access to social services: and, creating wealth and maintaining a first-class city.