As the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) prepares to commission completed infrastructure projects in Abuja this week, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, led a delegation of FCDA engineers, reporters and Contractors on a final inspection tour across several project sites on Monday, 9th June,2025.

Speaking after the inspection, the Minister expressed immense joy and gratitude to Almighty God for granting him the health, strength, and capacity to superintend over the delivery of these vital projects.

He also extended deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support and commitment to the development of the FCT under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We are highly elated. First, we thank God Almighty for His grace. At a time when people say things are difficult, we have delivered critical infrastructure to the people. This is one of the happiest moments of my life”, Wike said.

The Minister noted that the successful completion of the projects is a testament to the importance of visionary leadership, clear goals, and firm commitment.

“Once you are focused on your objectives and committed to them, results will follow. It is not about having all the resources in the world, but the ability to manage what you have wisely, and politically, that’s what makes the difference”.

He acknowledged the inherent challenges of bureaucracy but emphasized the importance of clear direction.

“You talk about bureaucracy, of course it’s a problem, but again, when you sit down with people and you let them know that this is what you want to achieve and you are not going to accept anything less than that, they will key in”, the Minister stated.

The tour included inspection of the International Conference Centre, now renovated to world-class standards, Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) completed by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, as well as the Arterial Road N16, from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway to the Wole Soyinka Way and the 15km OSEX II, connecting Apo and Wasa districts, executed by CGC.

Barrister Wike commended all contractors for keeping to their promises and delivering within the stipulated standards.

“We have personally supervised these projects to ensure compliance and quality. I can confirm that all contractors have done what they were contracted to do”.

On the management of ICC, the Minister announced that the newly developed event centre will be maintained by the same construction company that delivered it. “It will not be handed over to any politician or third party. Maintenance is a major issue in this country, and this time, it will not be business as usual. Anyone who wants to use the facility will pay, and that money will be used strictly for its upkeep and pay Julius Berger”, he said.

He also emphasized that local staff have been trained to manage the technology and operations of the new facilities. “The people working there are Nigerians. There is nothing too difficult in the technology. What matters is capacity-building and supervision”, he added.

The Minister assured residents that operations will commence immediately after the official commissioning this week.

An Igbo group, Ndigbo Cultural Development Organization, NIDO has said that it is injustice against the Igbo nation if the Federal government continues to celebrate June 12 Democracy Day without honouring the former Chairman of defunct National Electoral Commission, NEC, late Professor Humphrey Nwosu.

The group, in a statement in Umuahia, said the history of June 12 would not have been possible without the heroic actions of Professor Nwosu in 1993.

The statement signed by Don Afuluike, NIDO’s Director of Communications and Information, regretted that many Nigerians, including Professor Humphrey Nwosu who fought and made various degrees of sacrifices to ensure a return to constitutional governance have not been recognised by the government.

“As Nigeria observes the day, it is an opportunity to reflect on the gains and pains of today’s democratic governance riding on the back of seven successive national elections in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 under different electoral umpires.

“Without doubt, a review of each of these elections only leads to an assessment of which is worse than the other in terms of all known indices of assessment of elections.

“The consistent clamour for electoral reforms till date and now periodic amendments to the Electoral Act depicts a sick electoral system which negatively impacts governance at different levels and resulting in growing discontent and lack of trust in Nigeria’s elections and democracy,” it said.

The Igbo group said it was a glare injustice against the Igbo nation that no national asset has been named after Professor Humphrey Nwosu despite introducing “Option A4”, which the group called Nigeria’s most transparent system of conducting election.

The statement further urged Anambra State Government, Nwosu’s home state, to also name a major edifice after him, warning that failure to do so could discourage successive INEC officials from serving with courage and a sense of patriotism.

‎
‎
‎Peter Obi has responded to claims that he illegally hid a large sum of money in secret offshore accounts when he was governor of Anambra State
‎
‎In an interview with Arise TV, Peter Obi said people accused him of hiding 500 million dollars. He said he was investigated by several authorities and no one found any proof that he hid such money anywhere.

‎The former Anambra state Governor said the allegation was completely false. He said if those who accused him of hiding 500 million dollars can find proof of where he hid even 3 percent of that amount, he would accept to be jailed for life.
‎
‎ “They said there is a place they found money where I own about 500 million dollars, I was investigated by everybody. So I replied and said if you go there and see 3 percent of what you claimed or mentioned, give me life imprisonment ”
‎
‎