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Says David Mark was rejected as PDP chair
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Insists no government can solve all problems
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To upgrade 10 schools in FCT
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
“If I were Atiku Abubakar’s son, I would sit him down and ask, “Dad, how can you keep hopping from one political party to another at almost 80 years old?”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, expressed this sentiment during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, criticizing the former Vice-President’s frequent party switches since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
Wike pointed out that Abubakar’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is just another example of this longstanding pattern.
He added: “Atiku was in the PDP in 1999, then he joined the Action Congress (AC). After AC, he returned to the PDP, later moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and then back to the PDP again, all in pursuit of the presidential ticket,” Wike said.
The minister also dismissed the opposition coalition challenging President Bola Tinubu and the APC, describing it as ineffective. He explained that Abubakar left the PDP because he realized he would not secure the party’s presidential ticket for the upcoming election.
“The way the PDP is now, it is not likely that Atiku would get a ticket, therefore it is not comfortable. Therefore, he tells you, let’s do a coalition against Tinubu. It’s not right,” he said.
“It is because he cannot get the presidential ticket under the PDP that he pushed for a coalition.”
Wike, in the same vain also said while the Tinubu’s administration cannot solve every problem facing the territory, it is making efforts to improve the quality of life for residents.
Wike, also disclosed that he and other prominent members of the PDP opposed efforts to have former Senate President, David Mark appointed as the party’s National Chairman.
Wike while discussing internal party dynamics and his firm opinions on leadership selection.
“Let me tell you something,” Wike began, “when we started having issues of National Chairman in North-Central, there was pressure for David Mark to be National Chairman of PDP. We refused.”
When asked why the former Senate President was rejected despite his pedigree, Wike offered a blunt response: “Why not? What good will he bring to the party?”
He challenged Mark’s effectiveness as Senate President, emphasizing that simply occupying a position is insufficient without real contributions to the nation’s progress.
“He has been a Senate President in the party for 8 years. What are the things that happened? What is the improvement?” Wike asked rhetorically.
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He announced his preference for backing a new candidate who embodies authentic reformist goals. He expressed reluctance to support career politicians who have long held office but lack a significant record of tangible achievements.
“I have told you here, I prefer somebody who has not had any position, who has come to tell me that, ‘Look, I am doing this because I want to help with change, to achieve this and that,’” he explained.
Wike stressed, “I will not listen to anybody who has been in power for years, who has refused to contribute anything to the development of the country, and now you come to tell me this story that, ‘Look, we need to rescue this country.’ You were there, the country was sinking, did you rescue it?” he queried.
Speaking on the concerns about project commissioning and the scope of ongoing development efforts within the FCT, he said: “I will not say here that every problem has been solved. All problems cannot be solved, even if this government stays for 20 years; no government can solve all problems.
“But government is solving problems that at least will help to improve the lives of people,” he said.
Responding to inquiries about why certain projects are not officially flagged off or commissioned, Wike clarified that the government focuses on prioritizing projects that offer visible and impactful results.
Wike said, “It’s not possible for us to commission every project.
“We take what we think are major, capital-intensive projects, ones where billions of naira have been spent, and showcase those. But when you’re talking about smaller projects, must we commission everything?”
He urged the media to work together with the administration by visiting project sites with the relevant Mandate Secretaries to witness firsthand the progress being made in areas like education and social development.
“We’re not saying we’ve done everything. But we are doing what will at least make a difference in the lives of the people, and that’s the whole point of governance,” he stated.
The Minister has pledged to upgrade 10 schools in the nation’s capital.
He stated that he would instruct the mandate secretary of education to initiate school development projects in the rural areas of the FCT. “I promise to deliver ten schools. As I leave here, I will instruct the mandate secretary to initiate the scheme, which will focus on rural areas,” he stated.
This statement comes amid criticism that Wike has prioritized infrastructural development in the FCT while neglecting other sectors.
In response, he stressed that it is unrealistic to expect comprehensive development across all sectors within a period of less than two years.
