- Promises To Review Councillors’ Salaries
By Our Reporter, With Agency Reports
FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused opposition parties and political figures of hypocrisy and double standards in their reactions to judicial decisions, arguing that some politicians only regard the judiciary as credible when its verdicts favour them.
Wike made the remarks on Monday at a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting in Kwali Area Council, where he addressed traditional rulers, political stakeholders and residents of the FCT.
Taking aim at opposition figures who have criticised recent court decisions, particularly the judgement that voided the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the minister questioned what he described as their inconsistent attitude towards the judiciary.
According to him, the same political actors who previously celebrated the judiciary as the last hope of democracy now accuse the government of manipulating the courts when judicial decisions go against their interests.
“When ADC had a matter in court and won at the Supreme Court, they said, ‘The court is the last hope,’ ‘The court has saved democracy,’ and ‘We know our judiciary will not fail us.’
“But when they lost a court case, it became: ‘The President is using the court to fight the opposition.’ When it is good for you, the judiciary is clear. When it is bad, you claim they are using it to destroy democracy. What kind of system are we operating?” Wike asked.
However, beyond the minister’s accusation of double standards, his argument raises another question: should concerns about judicial independence and the credibility of court decisions be dismissed simply because they are expressed by politicians who have lost a case? And does celebrating one favourable judgment necessarily mean that every subsequent judicial decision must be accepted without scrutiny?
While Wike insists that the opposition’s reactions reflect political convenience rather than genuine concern for democracy, he did not, in his remarks, address the specific criticisms surrounding the judgement in question beyond questioning the motives of those making them.
Defends Provision of Suvs to Traditional Rulers
The minister also defended his administration’s decision to provide brand-new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to first-class traditional rulers in the FCT, dismissing criticisms that the gesture could amount to political inducement or an inappropriate use of public resources.
According to Wike, traditional rulers occupy important positions in their communities and deserve the respect and material support necessary to perform their responsibilities.
He questioned why critics would object to providing SUVs for traditional rulers while other public officials, including chief press secretaries to governors, council chairmen and presidents, enjoy similar privileges.
“You want a first-class traditional ruler to be walking on the road with a stick in hand, taking public buses so they can get hit by a car one day? But you expect Chief Press Secretaries to Governors, Chairmen, and Presidents to ride SUVs?
“Instead of using their platforms to support good things, critics turn it upside down. We will provide for our traditional rulers, and nothing will come out of their complaints,” he said.
The minister’s defence leaves room for a more fundamental question: Is the issue whether traditional rulers deserve respect and comfortable transportation, or whether public expenditure on such vehicles is justified by clearly established needs and transparent priorities?
Wike, however, maintained that the decision was necessary and would not be reversed because of criticism.
Highlights Infrastructure Projects, Promises December Inauguration
Turning to infrastructure development, Wike urged FCT residents to acknowledge what he described as the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving conditions in the satellite towns.
He cited the construction of more than 270 kilometres of roads across the FCT, including 95 kilometres in Kwali Area Council, as evidence of the administration’s development efforts.
The minister said several ongoing road projects across the satellite towns were nearing completion and would be inaugurated in December.
He urged residents to assess political leaders based on tangible achievements rather than promises, insisting that the electorate should reward performance with continued support for President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Wike declared his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid and endorsed Senator Philip Aduda for the FCT senatorial seat and Danladi Chiya for the Abuja South Federal Constituency.
“I don’t need to preach to you any longer. The one you are seeing is what you follow, not the one that will give you unfulfilled promises. I will go to sleep tonight because I know Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji are 100 per cent for APC,” he declared.
The minister also promised N10 million to every councillor who successfully mobilises and delivers their political ward for Tinubu and other APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
He urged councillors to engage community leaders, youth groups and local associations as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s grassroots mobilisation.
“Any councillor that delivers his ward will get N10 million reward. Therefore, go and meet your leaders, go and meet your youth groups, go and consult with associations. Let’s deliver our ward to Mr President,” Wike said.
The promise, which effectively places a financial reward on electoral mobilisation, adds another dimension to the minister’s political strategy ahead of 2027. It also raises questions about the distinction between rewarding grassroots political organisation and attaching monetary incentives to electoral outcomes.
Wike insisted that the Rainbow Coalition was working in the collective interest of FCT residents and praised its structure for bringing politicians from different backgrounds together to promote development and effective representation.
Lists Tinubu’s Achievements in FCT
The minister further praised Tinubu’s administration, contrasting its approach to governance with that of previous administrations.
Among the achievements he highlighted were the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the appointment of an FCT Head of Service, financial autonomy for area councils and infrastructure improvements across the satellite towns.
Wike also revisited what he described as the longstanding political and administrative marginalisation of FCT residents.
He argued that despite the territory’s estimated population of between six and seven million people, the FCT had historically received inadequate political representation, with only one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats.
“For 50 years, nobody could remember you. The President has changed the narrative, given you your own civil service, allowed you to employ your people, and elevated your traditional stools. You cannot afford to make a mistake in 2027,” he warned.
He maintained that the current administration had taken decisions that previous governments were unwilling to implement, particularly in addressing the administrative and political concerns of FCT residents.
“The kind of decision the President is taking is not one that other politicians will take, bringing us out from the shadow into reality, and that is what a good leader should be able to do for his people,” Wike said.
Promises to Review Councillors’ Salaries
Wike also promised to look into the salaries of FCT councillors following an appeal by the Chairman of the National Councillors Forum of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Gambo Hamza.
Hamza had informed the minister that councillors in the territory currently receive N260,000 as monthly salaries and appealed for his intervention to improve their remuneration.
The minister’s response raised expectations that the issue would receive attention, although he did not announce any specific adjustment to their salaries.
Meanwhile, the APC Chairman in the FCT, Ishaku Yamawo, commended Wike for bringing political stakeholders across party lines together and promoting infrastructure development throughout the territory.
The PDP Chairman in the FCT, Mohammed Dogara, also praised the minister’s performance and assured him of widespread support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Similarly, Aliyu Baka, who spoke on behalf of Rainbow Coalition stakeholders in the territory, expressed regret over what he described as political mistakes made during the 2023 elections.He declared that the coalition was prepared to work towards securing victory for Tinubu and other candidates it would support in the 2027 general elections.
