Olayiwola Matthew
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, says he is in charge of land in Abuja and is only dealing with land grabbers.
Wike, who spoke on Thursday at a Thanksgiving service organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada East and West local government areas of Rivers State, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving him the opportunity to serve in his government.
Wike said if Tinubu did not give him the opportunity to serve, he wouldn’t have known the way Nigeria is.
He denied the accusations made against him that he is a land grabber, saying that as the FCT Minister, he is in charge of lands in Abuja and cannot in anyway grab land.
He said, “Those who are grabbing land are the people I am dealing with and that is why we must thank Mr President, if he didn’t give us this opportunity we would not have known the way this country is.
“Do not bother, people say controversial if being controversial is because you want the right thing to be done, I prefer it so.
“People say land grabbing, do you grab what you are in charge? I am in charge of land in Abuja, how will I go and grab what I am in charge?
“Here in Rivers, we thought it was difficult but when you go to a capital territory of a country you know that you are dealing with entire Nigerians.
“People think that because yesterday nobody was able to implement rules, it means that today, nobody would be able to do it. It means that tomorrow nobody will be able to do it. No, it is not like that. The mere fact that no government was able to do it yesterday doesn’t mean that this Renewed Hope Agenda government can not do it today.
“That is why I can assure you that no matter the cry you cry, no matter the propaganda you carry, I will do what is right. If you like give me any name you want to give me. You heard what the president said, Nigerians do not like to comply.
“Simple thing, comply, because they think some of us, you can threaten us, you can blackmail us, it is fake. It won’t work. I do not even know whether you are blackmailing me, I am not interested. My interest is that I am doing what is right and even if heaven comes, I will still do it.”
Earlier in his welcome address the former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, commended President Tinubu for appointing Wike as the minister of the FCT.
He said Wike has showed to Nigerians that what he did in Rivers State was not a fluke, but it’s his nature to transform states and cities.
He said that Wike is working and transforming Abuja.