President Tinubu and his FCT minister (II)

Senator Adamu Aliero was appointed the FCT Minister by President Yar’Adua in 2008, but, was replaced with Bala Mohammed by Jonathan in his capacity as Acting President in 2010. All keen observers understood Bala’s appointment as a compensation for his support on the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ in the Senate that led to the emergence of […]

Senator Adamu Aliero was appointed the FCT Minister by President Yar’Adua in 2008, but, was replaced with Bala Mohammed by Jonathan in his capacity as Acting President in 2010. All keen observers understood Bala’s appointment as a compensation for his support on the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ in the Senate that led to the emergence of Jonathan as the acting president.

Earlier, Bala fell out with his political godfather, Governor Yuguda. However, as the FCT Minister and with his strong alliance with Jonathan, he never displayed arrogance or attempted any destabilisation in his Bauchi State, akin to the prevailing situation in River State. It would have been inimical to his success in the gubernatorial position he now enjoys.

As a person, former President Muhammadu Buhari can be accused of anything by his foes, but not corruption. His appointee for the FCT ministerial position was Muhammadu Musa Bello. A man we considered to be more Buhari than Buhari himself in terms of intolerance to corruption and its tendencies.

As the coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), he never knew me, nor did I lobby or pay any bribe to anybody when he nominated me for appointment in his first tenure. He also returned me in his second tenure. What he told me was that he has been reading my articles on Abuja in the Daily Trust, a long time before he became minister and would like to work with me. A person who reposed such confidence in me should never be disappointed. So it was up to the end of our service.

Whenever, any traffic light malfunctions, before any report reaches me as the coordinator, the former minister would receive a security report and would call me and the Transportation Secretary to make sure that we immediately put it in order. Unfortunately, today there are many junctions in the city that are accident-prone because the traffic lights have malfunctioned and left for a very long time unattended to and the number are on the increase.

I cannot remember the number of times that he went round the city both in the day and night time, as the Chief City Manager and the FCDA Executive Secretary, including all relevant directors, to monitor and ensure the functioning of streetlights, drainage, roads and other critical infrastructure. As human, it is natural for him to have shortcomings and critics. But, on my part, I learnt and imbibed a lot of virtues from many of his selfless disposition.

Engr. Muhammad Abba Gana left that capacity more than 20 years ago and said that he doesn’t own a house in Abuja today. Perhaps, during his time, there was less interest on material acquisition by leaders than it is today. But, M. M. Bello left, less than two years ago, without any interest to, nor does he own a house in the city. More on this subject is reserved for later.

If the reigning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu desires as the FCT minister, a southerner, not a northerner, another party different from his APC, or any other criteria, the whole of Nigeria as his constituency parades a multitude he can choose from. No one poses any challenge on his mandate. However, he didn’t see anyone capable but Barr. Nyesom Wike the immediate past governor of Rivers State.

The fact that he is the first minister in the history of the FCT to come from the other side of the River Niger is not any concern, although there was a deviation from the known norms in which only the former presidents knew. Whatever were their cautions and wisdom, was thrown out by Tinubu. However, whatever are the characters, disposition or antecedents of Wike must have fit the type of person President Tinubu needs for FCT. Whatever our observations and concerns, are not his.

Irrespective of his position as the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike is at the centre of the ongoing crisis in his home state of Rivers. The relative peace in Abuja, the nation’s capital, should never be allowed to degenerate to a situation akin to what Wike turned his native Rivers State. Our fear doesn’t seem to concern Mr President.

The green component of the city is now being depleted for selfish reasons. The critical infrastructure is not being attended to, and the rate of vandalism is multiplying, certainly skyrocketing the cost of restoration. It is widely known that the minister’s attention is unrelentingly divided between winning the protracted conflict in his native River State and his FCT responsibility. 

The prevailing scenario has now reached a climax with a recent declaration of a controversial state of emergency. The president deemed it fit to suspend a democratically elected governor. But he refused to see any fault or take any action on Nyesom Wike, his political appointee, who is equally or more culpable. The challenges in the FCT and the loss of lives of the warring factions and innocent citizens in Rivers, which are supposed to be addressed by the government, are not of any concern so long as political gains are made towards 2027, irrespective of how.

In the words of Robert Mitchum, “There are three times in a man’s life when it’s useless to hold him to anything: when he’s madly in love, drunk or running for office”.

Concluded.