FCT: Wike vows to empower women, youth in Bwari

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, positioned women and youth at the heart of Bwari Area Council’s development during a visit, declaring their “time has come” under the leadership of the newly elected chairman, Joshua Ishaku.

Addressing a sun-soaked crowd that included traditional rulers, women’s groups and youth leaders, he hailed Ishaku as the bridge to swift delivery. “Our women, your time has come. Because Joshua has come. Anything you ask through Joshua, consider it done,” he proclaimed, sparking cheers.

He praised the young chairman’s appeal: “We have a very good chairman, a very young chairman; the youth of the country love him. And we are going to work with him because I want somebody who will understand me. And I want somebody whom I will understand. And Joshua is the person.”

Wike tied these pledges to a culture of fulfilled promises under President Bola Tinubu. Recalling a town hall where residents voiced needs, he asked rhetorically, “The traditional rulers, the youth leaders, our women—they said in one voice that they want this, and they want that, and we said we are going to provide them for you. Have we provided them?”

He extended honours to traditional rulers dressed in regalia: “Our father, I thank you for standing firm… All of you, I will do everything in my life possible to give you your due honour, your due respect. What is to be in your office, you will get it.”

Beyond empowerment, Wike recommitted to infrastructure, spotlighting the Bwari–Kubwa road. “The road we are doing from Bwari to Kubwa—we’ll finish it. This year, we’ll finish it,” he assured, framing it as reciprocal action: “If you do for me, if you vote for me, if you love me, if you push me, I will push you.” He invoked the essence of agreements: “When we are agreeing on something, you do your own part, and I do my own. That means we have fulfilled the agreement.”

The minister warned against deception by rivals, mocking their roadside antics. “There are those now whose duty is to deceive themselves. They now go out to buy corn on the road. They buy groundnut on the road—to chew,” he said. “Please, I don’t want you to waste time again listening to corn-chewers, listening to groundnut-chewers on the road. They are fake people.”

Dismissing minor parties, he elevated the APC: “A party that cannot win one of sixty-two? That is not a party. The ruling party today is APC.”

Wike also stressed the need for senatorial representation attuned to locals. “We have no business sending somebody to the Senate who does not understand what the people want… We are not going to send people who cannot understand you. We are not going to send people who do not know where you are living. We will send people who understand the people of Bwari. When Bwari people are angry, they know. When Bwari people are hungry, they know.”

In his vote of thanks, Bwari chairman-elect Ishaku lauded Wike’s humility and rapid progress. “Sir, Honourable Minister. You are a humble leader. You are a humble father,” Ishaku said. “We can see. We can feel. We can touch. The developmental strides you have recorded just within two years.”

Ishaku highlighted Wike’s directive during campaigns that he said propelled their electoral win—Bwari was the first area council declared. “You asked us, and as obedient followers, we followed you… Thank you for this visit,” he noted, reinforcing the pact: “Agreement is agreement… Come 2027, we in Bwari Area Council will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the renewed hope mandate is restored.”

According to Ishaku, the visit underscores Wike’s “Mr Project” moniker, even as he pleaded for more infrastructure in the area council. “Develop Bwari of our dream… You will come back and build more roads for us… more schools… more hospitals.”

Residents erupted in cheers, assuring of their strong APC backing ahead of the 2027 polls.