Learn from Uzodimma, stop abusing opponents — APC chieftain advises Wike

By Jude Opara

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yakubu Sani, has asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to emulate Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state by adopting mature, decent and respectable engagements instead of attacking political opponents at public engagements.

Sani, the founder of the Arewa Mandate Alliance (AMA), in a statement on Sunday said Wike should borrow a leaf from Uzodimma, who, according to him, has concentrated on improving the welfare of Imo residents and organising the largest and most effective Governors Forum of any political party in Nigeria’s history, without using his public engagements to insult and attack his political opponents.

According to him, the FCT Minister should refrain from turning the commissioning of roads, bridges and other infrastructure into platforms for denigrating APC governors and fellow colleagues working for the same purpose of reelecting President Tinubu.

“Wike should learn from Uzodimma. The Imo governor is working and organising quietly without abusing anybody. He is concentrating on governance, delivering projects and organising the largest support base for the President,” he said.

He further reminded the former governor of Rivers state that his primary responsibility as FCT Minister was to deliver on the mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu and improve the living conditions of Abuja residents.

“Every road and bridge commissioned in Abuja should be an opportunity to talk about development, not an occasion to abuse or denigrate perceived obstacles to his unbridled and rabid political ambition,” he said.

The APC chieftain warned that Wike’s increasingly combative political rhetoric could overshadow the infrastructure projects executed by the government of President Tinubu.
advised the Minister to allow the projects being delivered under his watch to speak for his performance rather than engage in political exchanges at commissioning ceremonies.

More importantly, he urged Wike to broaden his definition of development beyond roads and bridges to include constant provision of water and guiding the taxi drivers to establish order on Abuja roads .

“While Wike is building roads and bridges, he should also be asking what is happening to the welfare of teachers, healthcare workers and civil servants in the FCT,” he said.

The politician also raised concerns over inadequate water supply, indiscriminate parking and refuse disposal in many parts of the capital city.

“Many FCT residents don’t have water, while motorists compete with refuse dumps for space on major roads in the city. This leads to obstruction as vehicles are parked indiscriminately on motorways,” he observed.

He maintained that infrastructure could not substitute for functional public institutions and motivated personnel, stressing that the quality of education, healthcare and other public services was equally important to residents.

“You cannot build beautiful roads and bridges and ignore the people who teach our children, treat our sick and run the machinery of the government. Their welfare should also be a priority,” he said.

Sani advised Wike to devote greater attention to the administration of the FCT, improve workers’ welfare and reduce what he described as needless political confrontations.

“President Tinubu gave Wike a job to do in Abuja. He should concentrate on that job. Let the quality of his work speak for him instead of using every commissioning ceremony to attack APC governors who are committed to Tinubu’s re-election,” he said.

He added that Wike could even strengthen his political rating by prioritizing governance, instead of political combat at every given opportunity.