There is tension in Abuja over the threat by the newly inaugurated Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike to residents of the nation’s capital.
Video Naija recalls that upon Wike’s inauguration as minister of the nation’s capital, he had issued threat to residents, saying that any building obstructing Abuja master plan and those illegally built would be demolished.
Wike, who constantly used the word “sorry” to communicate his determination to sanitize the FCT said no matter how highly placed, any individual who had gone against the master plan would have his/her property pulled down.
He warned against indiscriminate waste disposal, building and turning green areas to business spots and others.
Since his warning, tension and fear have taken over the Federal Capital Territory with most analysts arguing that Wike’s opening address to residents was that of hate, anger and intimidation. Some believe that what majority of FCT residents want to hear under a tough regime as that of Tinubu is a remark that gives hope to the people currently going through hunger and frustration occasioned by the unfriendly policy of this administration.
According to a political analyst and social activist, .Mr John Agede, Wike has succeeded in creating tension and fear in the FCT..
He said: ” An administrator or a leader who knows what he is doing doesn’t just come on live television on the first day of resumption and begin to mock and say ‘sorry’ to the people he has come to care. Wike should know that the job of an FCT minister is not to go about demolishing houses. An FCT minister is supposed to care for the welfare of the residents. How did Wike show that care and understanding in his speech even when he knows that the bad policy of the current government is telling on the people?
“Nobody is saying he should not look at the master plan and reverse whatever that is not right, but to make that the focus of his speech speaks to the fact that the former governor is an angry person.
“If at the end of the day, all he want to do in Abuja is to demolish and send the people away, then his mission is a destructive and retrogressive one. What we expect Wike to tell the people was to rather look at the issue of fuel subsidy palliative. What are the other measures he will be putting in place to crash transportation and prices of food? Is he going to create an alternative to current transport system? What about the light rail? Will he create overhead railway system like we in other big cities in the world?.
“Like majority of Nigerians, I’m wondering whether the job of an FCT minister is to demolish people’s or to ensure an Abuja when people can be happy. Wike should have looked at the issue of one-chance in the city and say sorry to them as against saying sorry to lawful residents. That was a terrible opening speech.
“But what he should know is that Abuja is not Rivers. He must carry out all actions in line with the law. Nothing should be done outside the law, else he will be in court with too many people,” he said.
Also, the Human Rights Writers Association, HURIWA, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko has cautioned the former Rivers State Governor against taking any action that will jeopardize the intention of President Bola Tinubu for his people.
HURIWA further warned Nyesom Wike who is a lawyer to be law abiding and administer the Federal Capital Territory with absolute respect to the Constitution, the principle of Rule of law and to act in line with civility, decorum and orderliness.
The right group said the minister must desist from thinking that he is a dictator of Abuja the way some of them acted in their previous offices as governors.
The statement said further: “Nyesom Wike should be told that he is not the governor of the Federal Capital Territory but a servant of the people in his capacity as the caretaker of the FCT, whereas the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the lawful landlord of the FCT.”
The group went further to set an agenda for the minister, saying: “The FCT minister must clean up Abuja, avoid land racketeering and work assiduously to make Abuja clean, green and functional in all facets because for now Abuja has zero transportation system and there is no affordable housing for even the civil servants.’
Similarly, a former federal lawmaker, Daniel Bwala, has warned Wike not to create chaos in the city, saying that Abuja is not Port Harcourt. He equally warned that Wike would be forced to sacrifice his job if he jeopardises President Tinubu’s interests.
He wrote, “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN;
“Hello sir, in case you need refresher course; the basic needs of the residents of the FCT are; affordable healthcare facilities; access to good education facilities, clean sports and recreational centers, affordable transport services system, efficient and workable street light in the city centre and the suburbs; and finally, security.
“You came with a bullish and vendetta spirit, venting fire and brimstone about demolition and revocation of titles. Abuja is not Port Harcourt. If you create chaos in the city, you will jeopardise your principal’s interests and he will be forced to sacrifice your job. You will learn humility on the job.”
But a former national chairman of Protocols/Logistics Committee of the defunct Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (TSGICC), Chief Tony Okocha, is optimistic the new Minister will restore the Abuja Master plan.
He said: The APC chieftain said: “I live in Abuja or I am a regular visitor in Abuja. I know that the Abuja status that we used to know, the beauty, with which it was initially designed is begining to drift. It is drifting into slums.
“As some of you know, recently, Abuja was flooded and that is not just part of the Abuja framework. The reason is that some people have taken the laws into their hands by beginning to acquire properties and develop properties on waterways.
Videonaija observes that many residents of the FCT have since the threat gathered in group to discuss what they may likely face under Wike. On WhatsApp groups and other social media pages, cartoons making caricature of Wike’s statement have been pushed out.