The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that Nigeria was in a state of near-total collapse before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
He made this assertion during a thanksgiving service held at Saint James’ Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja, following the successful commissioning of 16 projects in the FCT.
While acknowledging that the country is still grappling with serious socio-economic and political challenges, Wike insisted that President Tinubu has made bold, necessary, and often difficult decisions that are laying the foundation for national recovery.
“The country was practically dead. It takes hard decisions to bring it back to life. Yes, we still have challenges, but what do people expect after only two years of leading a country that was already run down? Miracles don’t happen overnight. This isn’t a prayer session where you declare healing and it manifests instantly,” Wike said.
He specifically cautioned the Christian community against allowing emotions and sentiments to cloud their political judgment in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the Church nearly made what he described as a “disastrous choice” in the 2023 elections based on emotional reasoning rather than critical assessment of candidates.
“Let me speak to the Church: we almost made a terrible mistake in 2023. This time, we must be more discerning. Don’t allow yourselves to be deceived by propaganda or emotional appeals.
“Some of us may not have been where we are today if that mistake had happened. As politicians, we should be questioned and held accountable. Don’t take everything we say at face value,” Wike cautioned.
Wike went further to criticize the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, accusing him of hypocrisy and undemocratic leadership during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.
“Some of you supported a man you didn’t truly know. Peter Obi as president? For eight years as governor, he never conducted a single local government election. Not once.
“Instead, he functioned as both governor and the sole administrator of all local governments in his state. Yet, Nigerians then praised him. Now those same people claim democracy isn’t working? Back then, democracy was fine when he ran the whole state by himself,” Wike said.
He continued his critique by pointing to instances of alleged financial mismanagement by previous administrations. He cited the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre as an example of past inefficiency and corruption, contrasting it with the reforms under his current stewardship.
“Before we intervened, the centre was being run by a group that remitted only ₦50 million to the government annually. After shutting it down and carrying out a complete renovation within six to seven months, the facility generated over ₦700 million in just three weeks. Yet those same people now claim they want to rescue Nigeria? This is the hypocrisy we must reject,” he stated.
The minister challenged critics who had held public office in the past to show tangible results from their time in power, contrasting their records with his own achievements as governor of Rivers State and now as Minister of the FCT.
“Many of those now criticizing the government were in power for eight to twenty years. They had all the opportunities to transform their states, yet did little. At the time, Nigerians weren’t angry.
“But now that they’re out of power, they are suddenly champions of change. If I say I want to rescue Nigeria, ask me what I did when I had the chance. In Rivers State, I delivered. As FCT Minister, I am delivering again,” he affirmed.
Wike also reminded the congregation that some of the country’s worst issues, such as terrorism and fuel subsidy fraud, predated the Tinubu administration.
“Were the attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna train during Tinubu’s time? No. Was he president during the oil subsidy scam? No. But now, someone has stood up to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ We cannot continue allowing a few people to enrich themselves at the expense of the country,” he noted.
The minister urged Christians and Nigerians at large to remain hopeful and continue to support the administration through prayers and patience.
“I ask the Church to remain patient and steadfast in prayer for President Tinubu and his administration. Let’s not be swayed by those who had their chance to fix Nigeria but failed. They should not be given another opportunity,” Wike concluded.
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