The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said Nigeria’s economic recovery depends on the continuation of the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike made the statement on Saturday during a stakeholders’ consultation organised by the Rainbow Coalition in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He argued that sustaining the current government’s economic policies was necessary to address the country’s longstanding economic challenges, describing the situation inherited by Tinubu as one that required difficult but necessary decisions.
According to the minister, abandoning the reforms could undermine efforts to stabilise the economy and restore growth.
Wike also criticised opposition politicians, insisting that the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, had little to offer Nigerians.
He urged residents to be wary of politicians he described as opportunists, arguing that some individuals who had spent years pursuing political power were more interested in their personal ambitions than the welfare of the country.
The minister further dismissed the presidential ambition of Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), maintaining that Tinubu had demonstrated a stronger commitment to addressing the country’s economic challenges.
Wike said political leaders should be judged by their records in public office rather than campaign promises. He also challenged former Rivers State leaders to account for their achievements, particularly in the area of capital projects.
Explaining the purpose of the Rainbow Coalition, the former Rivers governor said cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government was essential to sustaining economic reforms and achieving meaningful development.
He urged voters in the area to support Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates contesting National Assembly seats, arguing that such support would help the president implement his policy agenda without unnecessary legislative obstacles.
Wike also called on party leaders and community mobilisers to intensify their preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging them to work towards a decisive victory.
He specifically called for widespread mobilisation ahead of the January 16, 2027 election, stressing the need for supporters to turn out and vote.
At the meeting, the Executive Chairman of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, Dr Chukwu Shedrack, praised Wike for development projects undertaken during his tenure as Rivers State governor.
Shedrack highlighted road construction, improvements to healthcare facilities and investments in human capital as some of the projects he said had benefited the council.
He said the local government’s development priorities aligned with Wike’s approach to leadership and reaffirmed the council’s support for Tinubu’s administration.
The chairman also pledged that the area would mobilise voters to support APC candidates across all elective positions in the 2027 elections.
He assured the minister that mobilisation efforts were already being organised at the ward and polling-unit levels to secure what he described as a comprehensive victory for the party.
