Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has promised N10m reward to any councillor in the FCT who delivers his ward to President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the promise during a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting attended by traditional rulers, political stakeholders and residents in Kwali Area Council on Monday.
He urged councillors to mobilise residents and community groups to secure victory for the APC in their respective ward.
“Any councillor that delivers his ward will get N10 million reward. Therefore, go and meet your leaders, go and meet your youth groups, go and consult with associations. Let’s deliver our ward to Mr President,” he said.
The minister also declared his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid and endorsed Senator Philip Aduda for the FCT Senate seat and Danladi Chiya for the Abuja South Federal Constituency.
“I don’t need to preach to you any longer. The one you are seeing is what you follow, not the one that will give you unfulfilled promises. I will go to sleep tonight because I know Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji are 100 per cent for APC,” Wike declared.
The minister took aim at critics who condemned court rulings, specifically pointing to the judicial verdict that voided the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Drawing a sharp contrast between the opposition’s reactions to different legal outcomes, he highlighted how their stance changes depending on who wins in court.
“When ADC had a matter in court and won at the Supreme Court, they said, ‘The court is the last hope,’ ‘The court has saved democracy,’ and ‘We know our judiciary will not fail us.’
“But when they lost a court case, it became: ‘The President is using the court to fight the opposition.’ When it is good for you, the judiciary is clear. When it is bad, you claim they are using it to destroy democracy. What kind of system are we operating?” Wike questioned.
Shifting to local governance, Wike defended his administration’s recent policy to provide brand-new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to first-class traditional rulers in the FCT, currently being criticised by some political commentators.
Dismissing allegations that the vehicles amount to political inducements or bribes, Wike argued that traditional leaders deserve dignity and respect.
“You want a first-class traditional ruler to be walking on the road with a stick in hand, taking public buses so they can get hit by a car one day? But you expect Chief Press Secretaries to Governors, Chairmen, and Presidents to ride SUVs?
“Instead of using their platforms to support good things, critics turn it upside down. We will provide for our traditional rulers, and nothing will come out of their complaints,” he said.
Reassuring residents of the current administration’s commitment to grassroots development, Wike pointed to transformative infrastructure projects across the satellite towns.
Wike noted that the projects included the construction of more than 270 kilometres of roads, with 95 kilometres executed in Kwali alone.
He said that the ongoing road projects across the satellite towns were nearing completion and would be inaugurated in December.
He urged the electorate to adopt the principle of rewarding proven performance with unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections.
