₦airaland Forum

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has hailed the unwavering commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the advancement of higher education in the country, saying "The Renewed Hope Agenda has injected new life into our university system through landmark Interventions that are transforming the landscape of tertiary education."

The Minister, who spoke at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), after he was conferred with the university's Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law, during its 50th anniversary and 37th convocation ceremony, said the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has provided the needed financial relief for students and ensured that no willing mind is denied access to quality education due to financial constraints.

According to a statement by the Minister's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, he listed other interventions of the President in the higher education sector to include the Students Start-up Innovation and Enterpreneurship Grant, which he said has empowered young minds to translate knowledge into impactful enterprises, and removal of universities from the Intergrated Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The FCT Minister noted that removal of universities from the IPPIS has restored financial autonomy to the institutions and enabled them to function with greater efficiency.

"Furthermore, the kind approval for the domiciliation of TETFund Research Funds within the respective institutions has equally strengthened the capacity for groundbreaking research and innovation.

"These bold and forward-thinking policies are undoubtedly positioning Nigeria's university system to meet the demands of the 21st century," he said.

Expressing his appreciation to the UNICAL authorities for finding him worthy of the Honorary Doctorate Degree in Law, the FCT Minister said, the honour was a charge to him to remain steadfast in his contributions to national development, upholding ideals of excellence and service as an inspiration to the next generation.

Wike said; "As I proudly accept this honorary doctorate, I do so with renewed vigor to contribute even more meaningful to the advancement of education, good governance and national development.

"I am deeply humbled and honoured by this recognition. The University of Calabar has written my name in its golden records, and I embrace this moment with great responsibility."

Lere Olayinka
Senior Special Assistant
Public Communications and Social Media
March 22, 2025

People's Democratic Party (PDP) elders like Chief Bode George, should be blamed for the party's failure to pay Ground Rent for 28 years, which is the reason for the revocation of the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja, and not the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, that it was funny that Chief Bode George, who was in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) that failed to conclude purchase of the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat of the PDP, could come to national television to say "Wike has crossed the red line by revoking the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja."

Bode George, had said during an interview on a television station on Friday, that Wike’s action was an open declaration of war against the PDP.

Responding, Olayinka said it was painful that elders like Chief Bode George, could chose to play the ostrich on a matter so glaring as the revocation of 4,794 land titles for not paying Ground Rent for as much as 43 years.

He asked; "Why didn't the PDP pay Ground Rent for 20 years on its Plot No. 243 national secretariat (under construction), which is the only property belonging to the party among the 4,794 revoked titles? How's government’s enforcement of the consequences of land title owners' refusal to pay Ground Rent declaration of war? Should the FCTA under Wike have treated PDP differently from the 4,794 owners of land titles that were revoked over failure to pay Ground Rent?"

While clarifying that the Wadata Plaza property being used as Secretariat by the PDP was not owned by the party, Olayinka said the property belonged to Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, who bought it from Wadata Enterprises Nigeria Limited.

"The PDP offered to buy the Wadata Plaza property in 2005, and when the Minister's Consent was sought, the party was asked to pay N26.9 million. The money was never paid.

"The party wrote a letter to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the FCT Minister then, to waive the payment, claiming that it lacked the financial capacity to pay, but he (El-Rufai) insisted the party must pay.

"El-Rufai, who insisted PDP must do the right thing by paying the necessary fees to the government was a member of the party then, and Chief Bode George, who was in the PDP NWC, did not go to national television to accuse him (El-Rufai) of declaring war against the party. And if the owner of did not pay ordinary N2.8 million as 28 years Ground Rent, who is to blame?

"On the PDP national secretariat at Central Area, is it the fault of Wike that a mere N7.6 million, was owed as 20 years Ground Rent despite that over N21 billion was raised in 2014 for the completion of the building?"

While counseling Chief Bode George, to start functioning like an objective elder that he should be, the FCT Minister's Spokesperson said "what should have been done was to seek information, rather than going on television to advertise hatred against a Minister who is simply doing his jobs without looking at people's faces.

"If Chief Bode George had sought necessary information and refrained himself from acting out of hatred for Wike, it would have been known to him that also affected by the revocation were government owned institutions like Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Borno State Government, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National Universities Commission (NUC), Kaduna State Government, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, University of Calabar and Nigerian Postal Service and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

"And like I asked earlier, if Chief Bode George were to be the FCT Minister, would he have treated PDP differently from the other 4,793 land title owners?"

On loyalty and commitment to the PDP, Olayinka said the results in Wike's Rivers State and Chief Bode George's Lagos State from 1998 till date are clear for everyone to see and used as yardstick.

Lere Olayinka
Senior Special Assistant
Public Communications and Social Media
March 22, 2025

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved revocation of 4,794 land titles, over non-payment of Ground Rent, for more than 40 years.

In the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, a total of 8,375 property owners have not paid Ground Rent in the last 43 years.

This was made known in a press briefing by the Minister's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze.

"It should be noted that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. All these yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay.

"It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.

"Consequently, a list of land titles in default of payment of Ground Rent have been compiled in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC). They are; Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08) and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09).

"As at the end of 2024 and up till today, a total of N6,967,980,119 is owed as Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners. In other words, a total of 8,375 property owners have not paid Ground Rent up to last year, 2024.

"A total of 4,794 land titles are in default of Ground rent payment for 10 years and above. Meaning that in the listed districts, 4,794 property owners have not paid Ground Rent in the last 10 years.

"This is in contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

"Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of Ground Rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith.

"A grace of 21 Days is also given to title holders that are in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, after which the affected tittles will be revoked."


Lere Olayinka
Senior Special Assistant
Public Communications and Social Media
March 17, 2025

Wike supervises demolition of structures blocking Abuja road project after residents refused to collect compensation, relocate

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, supervised the demolition of parts of the Gishiri community in Katampe District, Abuja.

Wike explained during the exercise in Abuja that the demolished structures were built on a road corridor.

According to the minister, the action became necessary due to the failure of the affected residents to relocate.

He recalled that the FCT Administration had awarded a contract for the construction of a dual carriageway from Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, by NICON Junction to Wole Soyinka Way, which was expected to be completed in May.

He said that funds for compensation have been made available, including a site for the affected persons to relocate to.

He, however, said that the affected residents refused to collect the compensation and relocate, “meaning the job will not go on. We will not allow that.

“I have been here more than four times.

“We have sat down with the community leaders and told them the need to cooperate with the government so that the contractor will be able to complete the project and hand it over by May.

“The traditional leaders pleaded with us to give them one week. The money for compensation has been made available and we made available somewhere where they can relocate.

“However, with all these assurances, it does appear that work is not going on, and I informed the traditional rulers that this work has to go on.”

The minister, who said “enough is enough”, stressed that no government would fold its arms and allow people to sabotage a project being executed for the interest of the public.

He expressed dismay that the people refused to cooperate with the government even when the space was not being acquired by some person to build houses.

“So, I called the community leaders while away in Milan, Italy. I am going to be personally here to supervise this demolition, and that’s what I came for.

“Let them know that it is not going to be business as usual,” he said.

He said that the government had done what was humanly possible by giving the affected persons more than three months to do what was right.

The minister added, “I can fold my arms and say let the work stop. No, we won’t do that. We will not do that. We have given them enough time.

“Are we going to say because of few people, the government will not do its work?”

On the way forward, the minister said that the director of compensation and resettlement would consult the community and determine what would be feasible for the affected residents.

“If they don’t want it, it is their business,” Wike said.

Reacting to the demolition, some angry residents threw stones at the operators of the bulldozers.

The police and other security agencies at the scene had to use teargas to disperse the angry youths and bring them under control.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, arrived Milan, Italy, today, ahead of series of official engagements, particularly meeting with the President of Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana.

The Minister's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement in Milan, on Wednesday, that Wike departed Abuja on Tuesday night, and arrived in Milan at about 4:30am today, and was received by the Charge d'Affairs of the Embassy of Nigeria in Italy, Ambassador Mustapha Mohammed.

He said "while in Milan, the FCT Minister will hold a meeting with the President of Lombardy Region on Thursday, and also meet agribusiness investors."

Lombardy is adjudged as the first region of Italy in terms of economic importance, with population of about 10 million people. It is the second most populous region of the European Union (EU) and the second region of the European Union by nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"The FCT Minister's meeting with the Attilio Fontana will center on seeking collaboration and evaluating possible prospects in the areas of Agriculture and Vocational Education, as well as strategic development partners with the Lombardy Region.

"Subsequently, Wike will meet investors in agribusiness and experts in vocational training, with a view to unlock new opportunities.

"The FCT Mandate Secretaries for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo and Mandate Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, Lawan Geidam, as well as Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Dr. Udo Samuel Atang and Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Multi-Lateral Cooperation, Barrister Benedict Daudu, accompanied the Minister on the trip."

Lere Olayinka
Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister
(Public Communications and Social Media)
March 5, 2025

The Minority Leader of the 9th Senate, Senator Philip Aduda has said residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially indigenes of the satellite towns will continue to be grateful to President Bola Tinubu, for appointing Chief Nyesom Wike as the FCT Minister.

He said the level of infrastructural development witnessed in the six Area Councils of the FCT in the last sixteen months was unprecedented, and could possibly not have happened without the Tinubu's presidency.

Aduda, who was speaking during a meeting with some political leaders at his residence over the weekend, urged prayers and support for the President and the FCT Minister.

The former Senate Minority Leader said he was excited that six roads in satellite towns that were flagged off last year January could be ready for commissioning this year's January.

He said there was no one that will see the Yangoji-Sukuku-Ebo, Abuja, Paikon Kore-Ibwa, Kuje, Gaba-Tokulo and Saburi roads that were commissioned two weeks ago, especially the quality of work done, that will not be grateful to President Tinubu for appointing Wike as FCT Minister at this time.

Aduda said he was particularly marveled that as the Minister was commissioning the roads, he was promising start construction of new ones in the Area Councils.

He also reminded the religious leaders that it was President Tinubu that gave the people of the FCT a representative at the Federal Executive Council (FEC), an autonomous Civil Service and an indigenous Head of Service for the first time.

As a show of appreciation to the President, we should continue to pray for him and the Minister, as well as support them to do more for us.

GOV BALA vs HE WIKE: LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD

Like Budha once said, “like the sun and the moon, the truth will always rise”.

Governor Bala Mohammed’s recent outbursts against His Excellency Nyeson Wike the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory though not entirely surprising have only served to expand the vistas of ingratitude and treachery based on what I know. As I witness this gross injustice, the questions I ask myself, are: is my comfort more important than saying the truth and is my fear of conflict worth allowing harm to go unchallenged? I have learned enough over the years to know beyond reasonable doubt that in the face of situations like this, if I choose to prioritize my comfort, I will fail the victim and fail myself. This is because injustice itself is a festering wound, it only grow its worse when brushed aside.

As someone who knows so much because I was the provocateur of the events between the two that I will speak to, I consider my silence not just cowardice but complicity. Therefore, I am not afraid to stand alone or risk conflict. I should not be misunderstood to be defending Wike but simply stating the raw truth that I know and I really don’t give a damn if the truth makes Wike look good. I have learnt to say the truth as I enjoy my freedom from being a slave to human opinion.

For starters, need I remind Governor Bala Mohammed that in 2018 PDP Gubernatorial primaries when we were not too sure he will win because, his then major opponent, Senator Abdul Ningi was the one who constituted the State party structure and had a bosom friend as Party chairman, it was Wike we turned to for help. I had called Wike to plead with him to help us in Bauchi without necessarily disclosing to him that it was Bala Mohammed that we wanted delivered. His response to me, was that are you sure you are in control of the process 100 percent? I said, I wasn’t too sure and he said to me leave it to me, I will help you sort it out.

To do it, Wike first of all made his bosom friend and close ally, Chief Dan Osi Orbih the Chairman of the Panel for the Primaries and said I should discuss whatever I wanted with Chief Dan. We got talking and on the eve of the Primaries, Chief Dan was in Benin city and we needed to get him to Bauchi for the assignment, it was to Wike that I turned to again and his response to me was, my brother, I have told you not to bother about this. Tell Chief Dan to come to meet me in Port Harcourt. I did just that and amazingly Wike provided the private jet that flew Chief Dan to Bauchi and out of Bauchi for the assignment. I can say without fear of any contradiction that Wike bore all expenses for the exercise. It’s therefore shocking that this so called transactional character called Wike did not place any condition whatsoever for his support.

That is just the beginning of the story, I hate to tell but I must. After the emergence of Bala Mohammed as the party flag bearer and having promised to sponsor all the party candidates if he gets the ticket, we were rudely awoken to the reality that Bala Mohammed had no money for his own campaigns let alone for other candidates of the party. Initially I thought it was some kind of a funny joke but as time went, I realized to my utter bewilderment that it was true. It turned out Bala Mohammed had lied to us about his financial capacity. So we had a meeting at my then residence at Wuse 2 Abuja to help raise money and we thought since Bala Mohammed was one time Minister for nearly 6 years he must have built enough goodwill we could harness if we organised a fundraiser for him. A committee was put in place and we spent N20 million to organize the fundraiser at the then Lady Kwai Hall, Sheraton Hotels, Abuja.

Before then, I had asked Bala Mohammed to give me a list of some of the people he had helped while he held sway as Minister for FCT. He obliged me with the list and after calling just four people on the list that I know so well, what they said to me jolted me and I reserve that for some other day. But suffice to say that I knew the fundraiser will be a flop so I was already thinking of alternatives. And as predicted, we had the fundraiser and to cut the long story short, all we raised from the fundraiser was a paltry N48 million and If you deduct the N20 million invested in organising it, that leaves you with a net of N28m. I have the records and our stakeholders are there to bear witness to this .

When it was obvious the masquerade will soon turn to a human being, I told our then two serving Senators who are alive and can testify that the only option we had was to go to a friend and brother, then Governor Wike for assistance. We got tickets and flew to Port Harcourt with Bala Mohammed without informing Wike that we were coming with him. On arrival, we were ushered into the Government house and asked to take our seats and wait for the Governor who was still upstairs to join us shortly. As soon as Wike walked down the stairs to join us and saw Bala Mohammed his visage changed and I noticed he was cold to me for the very first time. He asked us to join him at the dining room for breakfast but excused me while those on my delegation waited. What happened next was nerve raking and humbling, I must say!

He was like, Speaker why did you bring Bala to my house without even caring to find out what our mission was. I said to him, I thought he is your friend since both of you served in the same cabinet under President Jonathan. He said to me let me tell you what you don’t know. When we were ministers, Bala Mohammed allocated plots of land to all Ministers except me. He also recalled how he humiliated him when he went to see him in his office as a colleague Minister just to get an approval to increase the number of floors on a building he had in Abuja, not to beg for plot which he refused to allocate to him. He said Bala Mohammed kept him in his waiting room for hours and later sneaked out of the office. That from that day he made up his mind never to have anything to do with him again. He added, I wish, you had told me it’s Bala you were rooting for but whatever you want I will assist you guys because I don’t say no to a brother but I assure you, you will regret your decision if Bala Mohammed becomes Governor. The rest is history.

He said to me let’s join them at the dining so that I can confront him with these issues for you to know that I am not making things up. We joined them at the dinning and Wike confronted Bala with these issues in the open and in our very presence. Bala admitted and pleaded for forgiveness assuring that he is now a changed man. The two Senators with me that day can confirm this to anyone who wants to establish the veracity of these narratives.

To cut the long story short, we passed the night at the Government house and the next morning Wike called and directed that his cash assistance be handed over to me to pass to Bala. I said, your Excellency, it’s better I call him so that he can collect the assistance himself least he thinks you are still angry with him. I sent for Bala and when he came Wike’s aide handed over the package to him and he collected it while almost kissing the ground. Wike therefore gave us the lifeline we needed to kick start Bala’s campaigns. If Bala has forgotten how much we left with that day, I will remind him. Wike didn’t stopped there, he gave us a private jet to ferry us back to Abuja. And I must add that was not the only time Wike helped Bala with resources and logistics. What is baffling is that the so called transactional Wike did not demand for anything in return nor place any condition for all that he did. Believe me this is not the end of the story but let’s leave it here.

With all these, my question to Bala is what happens to the golden adage that you don’t attempt to break the calabash from which you once sucked honey? For Bala, power is a poison and anyone who questions how he wields it, for that reason, is an eternal heretic that must be crushed at all cost.

Every sane person knows that true freedom doesn’t insist on expressing itself to the harm of others especially those that stood by you in your time of desperate need. For it is not in vain that they say, “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. Unfortunately, for those of us who know Bala too well, there is no room for debate about whether he is a rogue or mere scoundrel, as much as there is no debate about his moral bankruptcy, rooted in a contempt for truth. His mental pathology reveals a man that harbours grand delusions to the extent that he would not recognize the truth, whether about his private or political life, if confronted by it in an identity parade. As someone who is false to his friends and neighbours, it is impossible for him to be true to the public. Between Wike and Bala, Bala should be told in unequivocal terms that it is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. It is obvious that Bala is not near anything that he is projecting to the public.

When Wike was his benefactor, he said he knew Wike had done better than him and referred to him as, “ someone who is courageous, focused and determined, a person qualified and competent to help salvage Nigeria”. His words not mine. Now that Wike cuts off the benefits, he is a dead wood, former friend and a “transactional politician”. As a known wimp, he believes that Wike is now on the robs and he is punching so hard so that he can appropriate the glory from whatever pyrrhic victory that may ensue. Is it not ludicrous for someone who is mostly disliked for no reason other than he is shady, to call someone transactional? Time will not permit me to list those Bala has betrayed which includes his known godfather and our father, Baba Waziri, Alhaji Bello Kirfi, Elder statesman and former minister under President Shehu Shagari in the second republic.

Bala represents everything but decency which I said before that I doubted he will ever have. Those who thought I was too harsh including an ally of Wike who pleaded with me not to talk about Bala again are increasingly noticing this. I am sure they are now convinced that we cannot continue to run a therapy session for a troubled pyromaniac nay reptilian brat like this who consistently seeks to elevate himself by putting others down and who inhales rather than think before he talks. After all, it was saint John Chrysostom who said, “we must not mind insulting men, if by respecting them we offend God”.

Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, CFR
28/01/2025

Honorable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr Nyesom has today commissioned the 11km Yangoji-Sukuku-Ebo Road, in Kwali Area Council.

This and more are Project Flagged off in January 2024 and Project commissioned January 2025.

That's WikeMagic
#RenewedFCT