2027: Wike declares Abuja ‘shut’ to opposition, dares them to fault Tinubu’s projects
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Nigeria's FCT Minister Nyesom Wike declared Abuja
Nyesom Wike, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, asserted on Friday that President Bola Tinubu's extensive infrastructure projects in Abuja have effectively silenced political opposition. Wike stated that tangible performance is the strongest response to critics.
If there are opponents of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with what you have done in their lifetime, they cannot do anything again. If you call Tinubu today, he will show you his report card on the satellite towns and on the city. Abuja is shut down. Abuja is closed.
Speaking at the commissioning of the reconstructed Arab/Gbazango Road in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, Wike highlighted the scale of projects under the Tinubu administration, claiming they have transformed governance and provided residents with clear evidence of government achievements. "If there are opponents of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with what you have done in their lifetime, they cannot do anything again," Wike declared, framing the projects as a "report card" that Tinubu can present to the public.
The minister revealed that since May 2023, the administration has awarded 317 kilometers of roads in FCT satellite towns, completing 221 kilometers and with 96 kilometers ongoing. This is separate from major city center projects. Wike challenged critics to dispute these figures within 48 hours, vowing to resign if they could disprove the road construction statistics.
It is unprecedented in the history of this country for a president to commission projects for 28 days, commissioning and flagging off 31 projects. If anybody has a contrary view, let him come and challenge us. I challenge you in the next 48 hours to say we have not awarded 317 km of roads and completed 221 km in the satellite towns, and I will resign as Minister of the FCT.
The FCT Administration concluded a 31-day project commissioning program on July 17, 2026. Wike described the exercise as unprecedented in Nigerian history, with a president continuously commissioning and flagging off projects for an extended period. He noted the smooth execution of the program, attributing its success to the administration's focus on delivering development over making promises.
It is unprecedented in the history of this country for a President to commission and flag off projects continuously for 28 days. When something unusual like this happens, you ca
Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.