FCT, Wike and The Change to Come

In many Capital Cities of the World, the decision to arrive at who mans it, is derived electorally. In Nigeria however, that power lies with the President of the country. Even prior to the current circumstance the nation has found itself, where the electoral worth of the Federal Capital Territory has dominated public discourse and presently before the highest court in the land, the FCT, short for the Federal Capital Territory and an alias for Abuja, has always been held in the highest esteem.

This, both as a coveted national treasure as well as a ministry of spectacular opulence. One that has always had intense jostling for who occupies it as minister.

Interestingly, since 1976 when the military administration of Late Gen Murtala Mohammed appointed the Late Chief Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun as the First Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, in no other time until now, has the position being filled by anyone from the Southern part of the country. There have been 15 ministers in between 1979 when the First FCT minister left office and His Excellency Nyesom Wike’s appointment, only yesterday. All of them, (15) from the North!

Wike’s appointment as Minister of the FCT represents a refreshing change from what has become norm.

In the last administration, the Federal Capital Territory witnessed one of its most obscure periods for a Federal Capital crying for opening up of satellite towns and access roads to ease an increasingly over populated city centre.

What’s more, the political sentiment of the residents of the FCT in the last general elections was such that, neither the Presidential candidate of the ruling party, the APC, nor that of the major opposition party, the PDP, got up to 20% of her votes! This has become, as stated earlier, a matter for litigation in order to interpret a section of the constitution that seem to some, a specific requirement of anyone vying to be President to secure at least 25% of votes cast in the FCT. For others, they do not see that such preference for the FCT voters is what was intended by the framers of our constitution. The jury is still out on the matter.

Let it be noted though that, less than 500,000 voters in the FCT turned out to vote in that election. Of the 1,570,307 registered voters in the FCT, that outing of less than 500,000 voters, represents a 30.48% turnout. Still higher than the national average which is put at under 27%, mind.

Although it is not within the purview of the new FCT Minister, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, on how that section of the Constitution is interpreted, perhaps the lackluster performance of his predecessor, which might have contributed in some way to the extremely poor showing of the FCT voters towards the part of the ballot with the broom, would be where he can bring change going forward.

While an aspirant for the Presidential ticket of the PDP, there was no denying Nyesom Wike’s extraordinary dossier of achievements as Governor of Rivers State. The basis for his seeking the highest office in the land via the PDP platform, was firmly premised on not just the demand that power had to shift to the South, it was that, while it answered to the generally heightened national yearning for Justice and fairness, it needed not be cheapened to such extent as to let it fall on the laps of just anyone as far as they were from the southern region.

On that premise, Wike squarely cut out as someone who, given his track record of performance, was well suited into the sort of Presidential choices we should be pressing for as a people walking the talk in our collective aspirations for a better country.

Unfortunately, that ambition did not materialize. But such was the faith and believe in him that his closest allies and then colleagues Samuel Ortom, Ifyeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu and Seyi Makinde risked their various political ambitions by sticking to him in the wake of serious injustice against his person by deeply connected politicians afraid of his rise.

However, here is another opportunity. One that, owing to his recent outings in a similar position, there’s firm basis for unyielding faith in his capacity to walk the talk once again. Of course, seeing as the times we live in, are of the excruciating pains caused by removal of oil subsidy and attendant rise in cost of petrol and spiraling effects all over; with the continual fall of the naira; the insecurity within the country; regional and sub regional tensions etc, it might be being obsessive to situate the lenses on Wike’s FCT than on how those other individuals with chores within the purviews of the issues enumerated but such is the power of the attention the man commands; the sheer curiosities aroused from the break in a trend that saw the office of the FCT minister seemingly ceded to a catchment area exclusive of the southern region; the bizarre conduct of strategic PDP actors in Governors as they then were and how all of that has come to this moment! Those together, must draw more than a casual attention to whatever they evolve into!

It remains to be seen where his partisanship and those of his allies shall lie in the days ahead.

Be that as it may, time shall tell. However, for the FCT, there couldn’t have being a more pragmatic occupant as minister. The situation bodes well for the FCT and her residents and does the Igyuve i Tiv, Chief Nyesom Wike, well as he stands positioned to reinforce – as if it ever waned – the belief in his credentials as a performer and one his allies will continue to be proud of.

Chief Nyesom Wike shall excel – Again!

Magen, who served as a Principal Special Assistant on New Media to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom, writes from Abuja