Stephen Ukandu
A group under the auspices of Indigenes and Residents of Abuja, has described those behind last week’s “Wike Must Go Protest” as impostors hired to blackmail the former Rivers State Governor.
The group on Monday, marched through some major streets in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, before storming to the Minister’s office complex where they read their message although the Minister was said not to be in office.
Leader of the group, Mohammed Yakubu, who spoke during the solidarity march for the FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, said “those who feel threatened by the anti-corruption crusade of the Minister” were instigating the protest against him.
He said that the anti-Wike protesters did not speak for Abuja indigenes and residents but for themselves and their pockets.
“The recent protest which took place in Abuja and tagged “Wike Must Go” can best be described is a show of shame by some fraudulent elements who masquerade themselves as indigenes of FCT.
“The truth remains that those protesters were hired idle hands being used by elements who feel threatened by the good works being executed by Barr Nyesom Wike.
“They are daily feeling uncomfortable that the status quo ante has changed for the better as far as good governance in FCT is concerned.”
Yakubu said that Wike had shown capacity in the management of affairs of FCT, arguing that an FCT Minister must not come from Abuja before he delivers.
He further claimed that Wike’s insistence that contractors who absconded after receiving mobilisation from previous administrations should return to site, was the reason behind the Minister’s persecutions.
“His detractors are not comfortable that he is insisting that all contractors who have collected contracts from the past administration without delivering should all return to site and make sure the jobs are done.”
“The action of the protesters can only be likened to ‘corruption fighting back’.”
Yakubu said that the FCT Minister had not hidden his determination to restore the lost glory of Abuja from the hands of “land grabbers with fake companies.”
He declared support for the FCT Minister, and urged him not to be cowed by the antics of his detractors.
The group vowed to resist any attempt to intimidate or blackmail the FCT Minister.
“It is on record that the FCt Minister is a man of action who has in the last few months set the ball rolling in the positives direction.
“We the indigenes and residents of FCT warn all who are bent on distracting Wike to cease all distractions forthwith or face the wrath of the indigenes and residents of FCT.
“Wike has proved that he has all it takes to turn thing around in FCT. He should not be distracted so that he can replicate what he did in River State for the people of FCT.
“He is tested and trusted. As indigenes and residents of FCT, we are here to pass a vote of confidence on Wike. We are pleased with the measures he has so far so far taken to sanitise the FCT.
“We support his efforts to make FCT a home for all. We want FCT where the rights of both the citizens and residents are protected.”
The group commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his choice of Wike as the FCT Minister, describing him as a round peg in a round hole.
