2027: FCT already for Tinubu, says Wike

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister  Nyesom Wike yesterday said that the 2027 presidential election in the FCT is already a done deal for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike hinged his belief on the massive infrastructure delivery by the Tinubu-led administration through his ministry across the FCT urban centres and satellite towns.

Wike, who inspected some major road infrastructure projects, including the Apo-Karshi and Gwarinpa-Kubwa road corridor,   asserted that good governance remains the main barometer for electoral success.

The minister maintained that the Tinubu administration has silenced critics by converting  political promises into verifiable developments that directly touch the lives of FCT residents.

He said: “I can beat my chest, close my eyes, and sleep with my two eyes closed that President Tinubu and APC candidates will win FCT in 2027.

“If good governance is the barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear.

“If residents are saying they want a government that listens, cares, and solves their problems, the Renewed Hope Agenda has delivered exactly that. It is not only listening and caring; it is actively solving their problems.”

The minister again slammed opposition political parties eyeing the capital city ahead of the 2027 general elections for what he described as their lack of performance records.

He said it was important for them to understand that voters will no longer be lured by empty rhetoric.

“What will those who are coming tell the people? They will tell them stories. But we have not come with stories; we have come with facts, verifiable facts,’’ Wike said.

Wike said it was good that political reckoning is fast approaching and that FCT  indigenes and residents know the difference between effective leadership and non-performance.

On the progress of work on projects, the minister expressed satisfaction with the contractors’ pace, saying that the long-delayed Apo-Karshi Road will be delivered in  November while the Gwarinpa-Kubwa road corridor will be completed the following month.

“We promised 10 projects before elections, but from what we are seeing, we are delivering far more,” Wike said, describing the projects as Christmas and New Year gifts to FCT residents.

Addressing outcries over recent demolitions in the Central Business District (CBD), the minister maintained that the FCT Administration would not compromise the Abuja Master Plan enforcement or yield to emotional appeals by ‘’illegal’’ developers.

He dismissed claims by affected occupiers that no prior notice was served, insisting that they received quit notices over six months ago.