Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has said Nigeria’s full economic recovery depends entirely on sustaining the bold reform policies initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said this on Saturday, at the Rainbow Coalition’s stakeholders’ consultation in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers.
He said that only the continuation of the current administration’s economic direction could permanently pull the country back from the brink of collapse.
He noted that the hard economic choices being implemented presently were necessary remedies to salvage a system that was virtually “dead” when Tinubu took office.
“Only the continuation of the economic reforms initiated by the Tinubu government can bring this country back from the economic comatose it was in before this present administration took over,” he said.
He said that the presidential candidate of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his vice, Rotimi Amaechi had nothing to offer to Nigerians.
The minister urged residents of the state not to surrender the country’s progress to “career politicians” and “political opportunists” whom he likened to “chronic pool betters” who repeatedly gamble with public trust.
According to him, supporting politicians who have made decades-long pursuits for power would mean diverting national funds to recoup lost campaign expenses rather than consolidating economic gains.
Wike further said that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi would not make any meaningful difference if elected, stressing that Tinubu was the person who had shown true commitment.
reaffirming that leadership must be judged by past governance records, the former Rivers governor challenged his predecessor to account for major capital allocations in Rivers.
Explaining the political strategy behind the cross-party Rainbow Coalition movement, he said that delivering economic recovery required total alignment between the executive and the national assembly.
He urged voters to support Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates vying for the senate and house of representatives seats in the area to ensure legislative cooperation for the president economic policy agenda.
He also called on party leaders and community mobilisers to prepare for an overwhelming turnout on election day.
“I want total mobilisation on Jan. 16, 2027. Everybody must be mobilised. Make sure we vote and win decisively to protect our collective future,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of the council, Dr Chukwu Shedrack, commended Wike for his historic development projects in the council, including road construction, hospital upgrades, and human capital investments.
Shedrack highlighted several local governance achievements which he said aligned with the FCT minister’s leadership model.
Reaffirming the council’s political commitment to the Tinubu administration’s economic recovery drive, he pledged a complete block vote for the APC across all elective positions come 2027.
“We are fully mobilised; ward by ward and unit by unit. Come the 2027 general elections, our people will deliver 100 per cent. From president to national assembly and house of assembly, no vote will drop,” Shedrack assured.
