Our Reporter, New York
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate in the forthcoming Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) election, Dr. Moses Paul, has made a public case for why he believes the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, should support him in his bid to emerge as AMAC’s chairman.
The candidate made the statement during an exclusive interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica on Sunday.
In a statement reflecting on Mr. Wike’s recent comments about local government leadership, Dr. Paul aligned himself with what he described as the minister’s philosophy of performance-driven governance. He recalled an instance in which Mr. Wike rebuked the current AMAC chairman for failing to provide operational vehicles for security agencies, a responsibility the minister contrasted with his own record as former chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State.
According to Dr. Paul, that comparison was particularly striking. He noted that Mr. Wike referenced tangible achievements from his time in office, using them as a benchmark to assess current leadership at the council level.
Describing himself as “a Mr. Project,” Dr. Paul said his approach to public service aligns with that of the FCT minister. He argued that even without currently holding the AMAC chairmanship, he has already taken steps to address issues directly confronting the people, including the renovation and fixing of primary schools and the improvement of primary healthcare centres within the council area.
“For me, who is not yet on the seat and I’m already fixing schools and primary health care centers, I think naturally I should be Mr. Wike’s candidate,” Dr. Paul stated.
He maintained that his early interventions demonstrate readiness for office and a commitment to results, qualities he believes align closely with Mr. Wike’s publicly stated expectations of the current AMAC officials. Dr. Paul suggested that his record of initiative, even outside formal authority, sets him apart and positions him as a suitable choice to lead AMAC.
The aide to the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, also called for increased political participation by what he describes as “people of integrity and proven capacity,” arguing that most of the nation’s challenges stem from the absence of credible individuals in politics.
“Nation building, leadership, good governance, accountability, and all the other rhetoric that we spew daily are nothing if we don’t participate in politics,” Dr. Moses declared.
“People of value, character, and moral conscience must come into politics because it is the road to everything we desire as a nation.”
The ADC candidate was particularly critical of the quality of leadership at various levels of government, lamenting what he described as a disturbing mismatch between responsibility and competence. He argued that Nigeria’s leadership crisis is deepened when individuals who lack the capacity, discipline, or moral standing for public office find themselves occupying powerful positions.
“Today, we have governors in Nigeria who are not even worthy to be security men,” he stated, adding that such situations reflect a systemic failure in leadership recruitment and political engagement.
“There is a serious problem when people who are not supposed to be in positions of leadership are occupying high leadership positions.”
He reiterated the importance of AMAC, as the local council hosts important political officeholders, including the president, foreign embassies, and major businesses. He said highly competent people must manage such a place.
