Nyesom Ezenwo Wike took oath of office as the 17th minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) together with other 47 newly appointed cabinet members at the presidential villa, Abuja early last week. Wike, a staunch member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was the immediate past governor of Rivers State. He was the arrow head of the breakaway G5 governors of the PDP consisting of former governors Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwauanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and the incumbent governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde. As the leader of the G5 Splinter group of PDP governors opposed to Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy in the 2023 presidential election, he was also a vocal critic of the All Progressive Congress (APC). His constant chats with selected media organisations on various political issues in the build up to the presidential election never spared the APC. He was known to have taunted Tinubu and APC at every opportunity at his disposal and vowed never to join the government of the ruling party for free. In one of his vitriolic tirades against APC, he described the party as one with grade ‘A’ Cancer.
Now, how could one reconcile Wike’s earlier harsh stance and animosity against APC with his new job? Was that all politics played to sway public opinion and fool people on the real intent? How could those who believed Wike and made enemies on his behalf reconcile with this stark reality? To those always carried away by the bandwagon effect of politics and blind love for politicians, this development simply means that politicians are scums and anyone who believes almost what they say does so at ones peril. Only Wike could possibly explain how he eventually fall in love and found himself serving as a minister in the administration of a cancerous party. Men of honour and those in positions of authority are bound by their actions and words. Not anymore in Nigeria even as high ranking public officers like governors are caught in the web of semantics to appeal with fake promises. Therefore, accepting to serve in Tinubu’s government after what transpired is completely deceptive and smacks of obvious lack of character, honour and integrity in leadership.
Wike’s opposition and abuse of APC and Tinubu notwithstanding, he still delivered Rivers for APC by hook or crook at the presidential poll. Politicking in Nigeria is a typical struggle for power, relevance and control of people, available resources and assertion of territorial authority among elites. Despite obvious antagonism among political elites in Nigeria, there is always a marriage of political convenience or compromise at the nick of time to resolve contending issues and vested interests. Wike is in the league of vociferous critics of APC whose sins have been forgiven and now dine and wine with the party. Was Wike and his group moles planted by Tinubu and APC to distabilise PDP at least on presidential election? Winning elections matter more than insults in Nigerian politics. It has dawned on many that Wike played the politics of 2023 with an intent for a handsome reward. He leveraged on the enormous power at his disposal as the then governor of Rivers state and hid behind protecting the interest of Rivers people for his personal benefit. This exactly is the brand of politics of deception clothed with peoples interest played in Nigeria.
Undoubtedly, his appointment is a lesson in Nigerian politics and politicking. It could be said time and time again that Nigerian politicians only aspire and work hard during elections for already penciled down political appointments. Sometimes, in their desperation to remain in power, they contest for two elective positions at the same time in clear violation of extant laws. It is the same desperation and an eye set on personal enrichment and power that could persuade a serving Senator to resigns his elective position to take up a ministerial appointment.
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Several visits by Wike and his group of G5 governors to president Tinubu after the latter’s inauguration had set tongues wagging as to what they were up to. We are now aware that horse trading was the major preoccupation of those visits. On assumption of office, Wike’s combustible nature was unveiled amidst a rowdy welcome. He left no one in doubt that like Rivers; Abuja is his marked territory. The media space was agog with his resolve to pull down illegal structures and restore the Abuja Master Plan. Previous FCT ministers were majorly fixated on restoration of Abuja physical master plan but forgot the intangible master plan. Demolishing illegal structures is not the only way to restoring sanity or providing the people of Abuja with good governance.
The minster should first re-evaluate his priorities, talk less and exert more energy in providing the basic needs of the people. Second, a labourer deserves his wage. Monthly salaries and all entitlements due to staff of the ministry should be paid as at when due. The minister should endeavour to clear the outstanding areas of entitlements owed by his predecessors. Third, health is wealth. Therefore, what Abuja people deserve now is access to affordable healthcare services. It is an incontrovertible fact that many government hospitals in Abuja are mere consulting clinics with little or no basic equipment to cater for the sick. The health needs of the people should top the priority list of government. Second, the transport situation in Abuja is horrible and very expensive.
With the subsidy removal, not less than 60% monthly salaries of civil servants goes to transportation. The government should. therefore, as a matter of urgency provide cheap and affordable bus services from one end to the other. Work on the Abuja Metro rail system should be completed as quickly as possible while the system should be extended to other areas like Nyanya, Maraba in collaboration with Nasarawa state government to ease transport burden of those in the areas. Fourth, it takes more than ones monthly salary to build a house in Abuja. Securing decent and affordable accommodation for majority of the civil servants in Abuja is a tall dream. House rent in FCT is extremely high and should be also regulated. In the light of the above, the ministry of FCT should think of an owner occupier housing scheme for its staff with a long term repayment period. Fifth, security of lives and property in FCT is paramount thus should top the agenda of government.
Sunday Onyemaechi Eze
