By Taibat Ummi Yakubu
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will resign from the Federal Executive Council if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fails to secure victory in both Rivers State and the FCT during the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Wike made the statement on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting with members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja, where discussions focused on resolving the long-running relocation and land allocation issues affecting thousands of mechanics and traders operating within the Apo Mechanic Village corridor.
The former Rivers State governor said his performance as a political leader should be measured by his ability to deliver electoral support for the president in areas where he wields influence.
According to him, remaining in office would be difficult to justify if he failed to produce the expected political results in the FCT and his home state.
“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here. If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT,” Wike said.
The minister used the occasion to reaffirm his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election bid, revealing that efforts were underway to build a broad political coalition across the FCT ahead of the 2027 polls.
He said the strategy was aimed at securing victory not only for the president but also for candidates contesting legislative positions across the six Area Councils of the territory.
Wike openly endorsed former Senate Minority Leader Philip Aduda for the Senate and expressed support for House of Representatives candidates aligned with the coalition being assembled in the FCT.
“Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For the Senate, Philip Aduda is a man of the people, unlike those who only appear on television.
“The two House of Representatives candidates we are supporting are also here. They are former Area Council chairmen.
“In the FCT, we are running a unified coalition across parties to deliver results. If I cannot deliver FCT as Minister, then I am not qualified to hold this office. We have a firm agreement, and today is the final affirmation,” he said.
Beyond politics, the meeting addressed the long-standing relocation exercise involving traders and mechanics at Apo Mechanic Village, a process that has remained unresolved for nearly a decade.
Leaders of the traders’ association recalled that previous relocation efforts were plagued by disputes over beneficiary lists, with allegations that non-traders, relatives and fictitious names were inserted into records meant for genuine operators.
President-General of the association, Chief Chimezie Ifeh, raised concerns over years of unmet promises and inadequate engagement with affected traders, particularly regarding land allocations first proposed in 2015.
To address the concerns, Wike announced that oversight of the relocation process had been removed from the Abuja Municipal Management Council (AMMC) and placed directly under his office.
The exercise, he said, would now be coordinated by his Chief of Staff, alongside officials from the Department of Lands, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The minister also approved a three-day grace period to allow any legitimate trader or mechanic whose name was omitted from existing records to undergo physical verification and enumeration.
He stressed that only individuals physically present and verified during the exercise would be recognised as beneficiaries.
“During the enumeration, we will physically verify the people sitting there. There won’t be any ghost entries,” Wike said, warning that anyone listed but absent during verification would be excluded from the final allocation process.
Officials of the FCT Administration disclosed that more than 4,000 verified beneficiaries are expected to receive plots tailored to the specific requirements of their businesses once the relocation exercise is completed.
The development marks a significant step toward resolving one of the FCT’s longest-running relocation disputes, while also providing a glimpse into the political calculations already shaping the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!