Former governor of Rivers State, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as minister of the Federal Capital Territory on 16 August 2023, following his nomination, screening and approval by the senate. And as his usual condor, the former governor has swung into action and pulling media attention. So far, it appears that Wike will be the most talked about minister of the Tinubu dispensation.

The FCT minister, who previously served as the governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, is an Ikwerre from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State; a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and was educated at Rivers State University of Science and Technology. He was elected as a two-term Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area from 1999 to 2007. He was appointed Minister of State for Education on 14 July 2011, and later as the Acting Minister of Education, after Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa'i was sacked, but resigned before finishing his term to campaign for governor of Rivers State. In March 2022, Wike declared that he will be running for the office of the president of Nigeria under the platform of the PDP ahead of the 2023 General election, but was defeated by Atiku Abubakar during the party's presidential election primary at the MKO Abiola National stadium, Abuja on 28 and 29 May 2022.

Having been appointed as FCT minister, Wike, on Monday, August 21, 2023, assumed office and no sooner, in action-mode conveyed a meeting. Not one to mince words, the minister advised workers of the FCT Administration (FCTA) and that of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to seek redeployment if they can’t perform in their various offices.

Here are some of the punch lines (PL) of the actionable FCT minister in just few days of his coming into office:

PL1: “Why should anyone be bothered about what party flag I will be flying? Okay, bring PDP flag, I will fly it, bring the Labour Party flag, I will fly it. The FCT is in this state and you think the people are bothered about the party flag I fly? I will fly the Nigerian flag and ensure the FCT returns to the dreams of the founding fathers." — Wike on patriotism to the FCTA and the Nigerian dream

PL 2: “We will bring FCT back to where it ought to be. So many people have complained that this is not the FCT of the founding fathers. We must tackle issue of security. FCT should be where people come for holidays.” — Wike on reclaiming the lost glory of the FCTA

PL 3: “For those who were allocated land and refused to develop them, we will revoke such lands and re-allocate them to those who are ready to develop them. Those who don’t pay ground rent, we will not notify them to do so, but I will not be tired of signing revocation notices. Uncompleted buildings that have become a safe haven for criminals will be reclaimed by the government and put to good use. Land racketeering days are over. Those who refuse to develop, turning to land speculators will lose their lands." — Wike on land speculation in the FCTA

PL 4: “We will consult with the herdsmen and talk to them to see how we will stop [grazing], we cannot allow cows inside the city. It can be outside the city. That is the way it should be done because the grasses are outside the city. The grasses are not here. These are grasses we planted to beautify the city.” — Wike on Open Grazing in FCT Abuja

PL 5: “We are here to deliver the short-term deliverables for people to see that Abuja is coming back to what it was supposed to be. All those people who are distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad. If you build on a green area, sorry, it will go down. If you know you have built where you’re not supposed to build, it will go down. There is no going back on demolition. Illegality is illegality; and that someone didn’t take action before doesn’t mean another will not take action today or tomorrow.” — Wike on distortion of FCT Abuja master plan

PL 6: “People are complaining of street lights not working, I am complaining too. We must fix it within the shortest possible time.” — Wike on Roads Infrastructure in FCT Abuja

PL 7: “You must be ready to work hard, I must make sure I give you BP, so you must work hard. You can’t be sleeping when the environment is dirty. You can’t be a director for nothing, it’s an opportunity for us to tell Nigerians and Mr. President that we can’t disappoint. If you are in charge of sanitation, buy your drugs, carry them all the time because I will disturb you all the time to make sure Abuja is clean” — Wike on sanitation in FCT Abuja

PL 8: “Wahala don come. I have respect, small, for women, but this one I will not. If you don’t have the capacity, let’s replace you now. On this job, people will not like you, but in the end, if you do it well you will be appreciated. Things are tough, yes, but we cannot live in a lawless society because things are tough. Keke NAPEP has taken over Maitama and Asokoro. How do you allow motorcycles, and even without helmets, in the city? We can have them at the satellite towns.” — Wike on transportation in FCT Abuja

PL 9: “I will ensure that Abuja gets the best. You will see projects upon projects, and projects that will be completed and not abandoned. I don’t do anything called abandoned project. I’m not a party to an abandoned project. Any project that has no cash backing will not be awarded. There must be money and I know that money has been provided for this project. And I don’t do a project that will take me more than one year.” — Wike on abandonment of projects in FCT Abuja.

PL 10: “I believe in the renewed hope of President Bola Tinubu, and Nigerians will see the difference in no distant time. We need your support. Nothing will work without your passion, dedication, and commitment to duty. We shall provide all the support, incentives and what you need to work well. What I expect is results. However, if I provide the needed resources, you must deliver or return the funds." — Wike to FCTA workers dedication to duty.

#penglobalcommunity