Wike’s Agenda to Inflict More Pains on Nigerians

Minutes after he was sworn in last Monday, the new Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, unveiled his plan of action to give Abuja a face-lift.

While addressing a press conference alongside top officials of his ministry, Wike vowed to demolish illegal structures, enforce the payment of ground rent and compliance with the Abuja master plan in order to restore the beauty of the city within six months.

The minister added that the government would no longer tolerate the indiscriminate operation of markets and motor parks by the roadside.

Wike’s remarks had angered a lot of Nigerians who took to social media to condemn his outburst on his first in office wondering if he came to work and help lift Nigerians out of poverty or threaten them.

Since President Bola Tinubu’s comment in his inaugural speech that “subsidy is gone,” Nigerians have been facing untold hardship with many resorting to all kinds of trade and menial jobs to survive the economic hardship inflicted on them by the petrol subsidy removal.

The hardship has forced many Nigerians, including the supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to reconsider their position and impression about the new government.

On its part, the Tinubu administration has taken deliberate steps to cushion the effects of subsidy removal and improve the well-being of the masses.

Analysts were shocked that Wike sounded as if his agenda was to increase the level of poverty and hardship in the land and render more Nigerians homeless in the FCT.

They would have expected him to first tell residents of the FCT how he would make life more meaningful for them by promising to provide the basic needs such as security, affordable healthcare facilities, affordable transport services system, efficient and workable street lights.

The minister was reminded that he did not need to come with a vendetta spirit and vent fire and brimstone about demolition and revocation of titles. Those who spoke to THISDAY said he needs to know that Abuja is not Port Harcourt where he was the chief executive officer and governed like emperor. They are of the view that if he creates chaos in the FCT he would end up creating problems for President Tinubu and sabotage the efforts of his administration to lift Nigerians out of the present economic predicament.

He should be reminded that demolition of any illegal structure is the least concern of FCT residents.