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FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has described the recent Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference as a “flop”, accusing the association’s leadership of playing politics instead of focusing on issues confronting the legal profession and the judiciary.
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Wike questioned the legacy of the NBA’s current president over her decision to invite a former Rivers State governor whom he accused of chaining and shutting the state’s courts for almost two years.
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Defending President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Wike said the Federal Government cannot dictate how states and local governments spend increased revenues accruing to them following the removal of fuel subsidy.
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The minister said 76 of 107 Tinubu-era capital projects in the FCT have been completed, with 10 more scheduled for commissioning before the January elections, while challenging critics to produce a better infrastructure record.
September 02, (THEWILL) — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared the recent Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, a “flop”, accusing the leadership of the professional body of allowing politics to overshadow issues affecting the legal profession.
Wike also mounted a strong defence of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the President had taken bold economic decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy, while insisting that states and local governments must account for how they utilise the additional revenues they now receive.
The minister spoke on Wednesday during a media parley in Port Harcourt, where he addressed a range of issues, including the NBA conference, the performance of the Tinubu administration in the FCT and the management of increased revenues accruing to sub-national governments.
On the NBA conference, Wike accused the association’s leadership of shifting attention away from critical issues affecting the legal profession and becoming embroiled in politics.
“Instead of concentrating on issues affecting the NBA, they started playing politics,” he said.
The minister questioned what legacy the current NBA president would leave behind, drawing a comparison with his own responsibilities as FCT minister.
“I will tell the NBA president: what would you say will be your legacy? As the Minister of the FCT, what would I say I have done?” he asked.
Wike said he had previously explained to the NBA president why he did not support her, particularly over the decision to invite former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi to the conference.
According to him, the former Minister of Transportation had been responsible for the closure of courts in the state for almost two years, a development he said should have influenced the NBA’s decision.
“I told the current NBA president why I did not support her. She went to invite a former governor of the state who chained and locked up the court for almost two years. When you see this kind of thing, you begin to wonder, what kind of NBA is this?” Wike queried.
Turning to the removal of fuel subsidy and the increased revenues now accruing to states and local governments, Wike said President Tinubu had no constitutional power to dictate how other tiers of government spend their allocations.
He was responding to comments by former Anambra State governor and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on the management of the financial gains from subsidy removal.
Wike argued that rather than directing criticism at the Federal Government, Obi should be demanding accountability from state and local governments over how they utilise the additional funds they receive.
“All he should have asked is, ‘Having removed the subsidy, what do you do with the gains?’ This is what I think a reasonable person should talk about,” Wike said.
He explained that the revenues generated from the removal of the subsidy had been shared among the different tiers of government, leaving each government with the responsibility of determining how its funds would be utilised.
“Now, the government has said the gains have been shared among sub-nationals. Tinubu has no power to say, ‘State, this is what you should do with the funds that you’ve brought in from the fuel subsidy.’ He has no power to tell local governments what to do with their money. All tiers of government are independent,” he said.
Wike said the increase in allocations had strengthened the financial position of many state governments, particularly those that previously struggled to meet salary and pension obligations.
He noted that some states were now in a better position to execute infrastructure and other development projects.
“Today states are saying, unlike before, we can’t pay salaries or pensions, and there are strikes all over the place. Now there are no strikes; there are advantages. Now, I have money to carry out projects,” he said.
The minister consequently challenged state governments to demonstrate the impact of the additional resources through tangible development and improved welfare for their citizens.
Wike also praised Tinubu for taking the decision to remove fuel subsidy, describing it as a bold measure that previous administrations had been unwilling to implement.
“Tinubu deserves kudos for taking the bold decision no president took. Now, it’s time for states to account for the funds they have gotten,” he said.
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76 OF 107 FCT PROJECTS COMPLETED
According to him, 76 of the projects have been completed, while 10 additional projects are expected to be commissioned before the January elections. He said the remaining projects would be completed before the expiration of Tinubu’s tenure.
“The President’s administration under Bola Tinubu commissioned 107 capital projects. We have completed 76. Before the January election, we will commission 10, and before the end of his tenure, we would have commissioned all the projects,” Wike said.
The minister also disclosed that the FCT Administration had made substantial progress on projects inherited from previous governments.
He said 23 of the 25 projects inherited from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had been completed, leaving two ongoing.
“We inherited 25 projects from President Buhari and completed 23, while two are currently ongoing,” he said.
Wike further stated that six of eight projects inherited from the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had been completed, with two still ongoing.
“We inherited eight projects from the administrations of President Jonathan and President Yar’Adua. We have completed six, while two are ongoing,” he said.
Wike challenged critics to compare the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure record in Abuja with that of previous governments, insisting that no administration in the history of the FCT had achieved a comparable level of development.
“In the history of the FCT, no government has done what we have done in Abuja. I challenge anyone to come out,” he stated.
He maintained that all projects initiated under Tinubu would be completed before the end of the administration.
“Before this tenure expires, every project started under Bola Tinubu would have been completed,” Wike said.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
