₦airaland Forum

...INTRODUCES REWARDS FOR THE MOST PEACEFUL AND INFRASTRUCTURE-DRIVEN COUNCILS

The Honorable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has officially inaugurated the newly elected FCT Area Council Chairmen, declaring an end to administrative laxity, incessant labour strikes, and financial unaccountability at the local government level.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony held at the FCDA Conference Hall in Abuja on Monday, June 15, 2026, Barr. Wike congratulated the new leaders on their victory at the FCT Area Council polls held in February, noting that their assumption of office ushers in a vital new era of grassroots leadership.

The Minister explicitly warned the new Chairmen that the celebration was over and the real work should begin. Reminding them of the solemn covenant they made with the electorate, he stated that the days of treating public office as a mere title were over.

"It will no longer be business as usual", Barr. Wike cautioned. "Your people listened to you and they all came out to vote for you. Remember, you have a covenant with the people. The people have performed their own civic obligation. You owe a duty to them to make them feel the impact of governance. It’s not to wear your traditional clothes; it is time to work for your people".

In a major policy directive, Barr. Wike announced tight fiscal monitoring over local government funds. While promising never to tamper with their allocations, he emphasized that the FCT Administration will closely monitor how every Naira is spent.

He strictly reminded the newly inaugurated leaders of public service rules governing local government finances, stressing that no Executive Chairman has the authority to directly sign checks.

"Some of you here operate accounts. No Executive Chairman is allowed to sign checkbooks. Your own is to approve. That’s why we have civil servants who are signatories to the accounts of Area Councils. Let no Chairman put himself in trouble by signing checks for withdrawal of money. You don’t have the authority", The FCT Minister declared.

"This is not the time you tell your treasurer or head of local government to meet you in a hotel, or ask, 'How much do we have? Remove this, keep this for me, I’m traveling tomorrow’. It will no longer happen. Please hear it now: if I know, I will call EFCC, I will call ICPC to look into your matter".

The Minister expressed deep dissatisfaction with the perennial strikes by the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and primary school teachers, which have historically paralyzed local education and governance. He noted that the FCTA has repeatedly borne the burden of bailing out Area Councils to pay teachers' salaries and rehabilitate schools, and tasked the new chairmen with finding permanent solutions to these labor disputes.

Barr. Wike further ordered the Chairmen to immediately halt the practice of abandoning their domains to reside in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) or luxury city hotels, linking their physical presence to local security intelligence.

"Stay where you were elected and perform your work. Don’t tell your people, 'come and see me in the city'’. You were not elected in the city. Stay at home so that your people can carry their problems to you. Stay at home so that you will know where kidnappers and bandits are operating from. If you are not at home, you won’t know where the problems come from. You must stay at home and give information to security agencies, the FCT Ministers, and the FCTA", Barr. Wike ordered.

To foster performance, the FCT Minister announced that the FCTA will reward Councils that distinguish themselves in governance. He said any Area Council adjudged as the most peaceful, or ranked highest in providing basic infrastructure, will receive special rewards from the Administration.

Barr. Wike also challenged the new leaders to use his own career trajectory which saw him climbing from a Local Government Council Chairman to a Governor and two-time Minister, as an inspiration. Pointing to the FCTA's rapid infrastructure delivery, which grew from a 9-day project commissioning streak in 2024, to 19 days in 2025, and an unprecedented 31 days in 2026, he urged them to set immediate 100-day and 1-year benchmarks. He also counselled them to empower youth and women, and to hold monthly stakeholder briefings to maintain public trust.

Earlier in her remarks, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, noted that the ceremony marked a renewed commitment to accountability, service, and inclusive growth at the grassroots.

She congratulated the newly inaugurated Chairmen and their deputies and encouraged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorate through purposeful leadership, transparency, and people-centered governance. "May your tenure be defined by unity, innovation, and sustainable development", Dr Mahmoud stated.

The oath of office was administered on the Chairmen by Justice Belgore of the FCT High Court.

https://von.gov.ng/wike-inaugurates-new-fct-area-council-chairmen/

Congratulations to them. They belong to the winning team.

And Moses Paul is still washing Peter Obi's pants with nothing to show for it

Ya gragra go soon end. Just wait

Hmmm. Okay, good for them o

They most be sharing the money to stake holders every month that's the new order

Wetin concern Obi for this thread?

Cyberterror:
Congratulations to them. They belong to the winning team.

And Moses Paul is still washing Peter Obi's pants with nothing to show for it

A true son of the Ikwerre Kingdom!

You can hate Wike for everything but you cannot deny the fact that, he is a goal getter and a specialist with delivery.

One of the best political mentors you can find within the country after His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).

It's no longer business as usual

Very disgusting political slogan,
As if we don't know?

Anytime I hear fct .na last election dey come my mind..
Tinubu can't be president because he no win Abuja.
And some people believe this

Wike is just being left unopposed to be acting like an elected governor in Abuja.
Other past ministers didn't enjoy the same privilege .
This is impunity if you ask me

Wike studg, he go too pressure them

HacheNoire:
A true son of the Ikwerre Kingdom!

You can hate Wike for everything but you cannot deny the fact that, he is a goal getter and a specialist with delivery.

One of the best political mentors you can find within the country after His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).

Go getter, not goal getter.
Take note, pls

Cyberterror:
Congratulations to them. They belong to the winning team.

And Moses Paul is still washing Peter Obi's pants with nothing to show for it

More than 40 yoruba kids in the bush and you're still playing yeye politics..

How the once mighty has fallen
so sad to see

CJStarz:
Go getter, not goal getter.
Take note, pls

I just found out it is “Go getter”. You are right🤦‍♂️

CJStarz:
Go getter, not goal getter.
Take note, pls

There's no literate person that supports a government that pardons more than 3k terrorists.. not even one

so you're wasting your precious time

Vice president by default

HacheNoire:
I just found out it is “Go getter”. You are right🤦‍♂️

So anyone who supports a government that pays zero subsidy but borrows more than other administration that did is literate?..

Wonders shall never never end.Wike telling the chairmen he will report them to Efcc.Wike that should have been languishing in prison himself for unbridled corruption. He is even talking to them like he is talking for His children. Yeye ologogora man

donleo92:
Vice president by default

Don't let Seyi hear that..
This administration is a family business

TheEnforcer:
Wonders shall never never end.Wike telling the chairmen he will report them to Efcc.Wike that should have been languishing in prison himself for unbridled corruption. He is even talking to them like he is talking for His children. Yeye ologogora man

How many Hotels are there, Jasons etc scattered everywhere, houses in UK,

if Nigeria was a country, These evil politicians will be in prison and the key thrown away

Wike the tormentor of Obidients

ZombieTERROR:
There's no literate person that supports a government that pardons more than 3k terrorists.. not even one

so you're wasting your precious time

You quoted the wrong person, bro. Nothing concern me with Wike matter. I only corrected d grammatical blunder of im follower

hisexcellency34:
Ya gragra go soon end. Just wait

He that waits by the Riverside awaiting the blinking of a crab will wait perpetually....... African proverb.

People that started the waiting with you are already at home resting.

Okay. Now go home and rest in perfect peace

ppogba:
He that waits by the Riverside awaiting the blinking of a crab will wait perpetually....... African proverb.

People that started the waiting with you are already at home resting.

CJStarz:
Go getter, not goal getter.
Take note, pls

You are absolutely correct but some people call it goal getter ooooooooo mucheche 😂

HacheNoire:
A true son of the Ikwerre Kingdom!

You can hate Wike for everything but you cannot deny the fact that, he is a goal getter and a specialist with delivery.

One of the best political mentors you can find within the country after His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).

You can say that again.

I've always told the haters, it's not by mouth, neither is it by gra gra. Gba fun oga e.

I dare say that, this time, there will be a noticeable impact in their domain as local council chairmen because their supervising minister, Nyesom Wike, no go give room for laxity