- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has heaped praises on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over his contribution to the development of the FCT.
Tinubu held that the Minister’s activities has proven that strengthening Nigeria’s diversity can aid development and prosperity.
The President stated this while addressing FCT community leaders, led by Nyesom Wike, who paid him an Eid-Fitri homage at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday.
While expressing his gratitude over the successful completion of the Ramadan fasting, Tinubu recalled his meeting with Wike and how he had requested the removal of Abuja from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to aid development.
He disclosed threatening to sack the Minister if his idea was aimed at favouring his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) more than the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) agenda.
“And when he started, he came up with a lot of good ideas to liberate the bureaucracy, bring forward looking progressive thinking to the administration, and given the opportunity to many of you that would still be hindered by bottlenecks.
“The independent civil service commission and all of that which we discussed to give opportunity for upward mobility and promotion that is consistent with the civil service structure, area council structure, the indiscriminate development in the face of dwindling resources.
“I remember the day Nyesom Wike came to and said please take us out of this problem of TSA so I can do more work and achieve more. I said okay show me what you are about to do and he presented himself.
“And I threw him my own political jibe that will that give me any opportunity for my party to win election in FCT.
“I say I know where you are coming from. Ypur own party or my party. But if this thing goes too much in your own favour, you will lose your job.
“He said okay we will settle that oga. Then I move ahead with him and everything started changing rapidly.” The President said.
He highlighted Wike’s achievement since the approval of the proposal while hailing him for utilizing Nigeria’s diversity into prosperity in the FCT.
“And started looking at the opening of rural areas and completion of abandoned projects and the resident of the Vice President that has been abandoned for year came alive.
“The health centres are being rehabilitated. The health facilities are being upgraded. Our students are returning to schools.
“We wouldn’t have been able to open our mouths to celebrate if not because of the progressive ideas that he put to play. Today, we are living at peace.
“The security is improving, there is satisfaction in our houses. The hunger is coming down, food prices lowering. We are able to go to the market and do business.
“Our diversity and believe in ourselves is getting stronger. We are not looking for magic, we are looking for resource. We are looking for comfort. We are praying for good health.
“This job is not about him, about me. It is for everyone of us. And the diversity of Nigeria is being proved by Nyesom Wike strengthening that diversity to develop prosperity, showing that we are all members of one family, building together, living together in the same house but we are staying in different rooms.
“Let us build together, continuing in harmony. We can do great things in Nigeria. It is true. Surprising to so many, Nyesom Wike is not from the North, he is not an Hausa man. He is from the southern part of Nigeria. But his ability to work in the northern part is yielding fruits. And it is a very good reflection of our diversity that we must use for our prosperity.” He said.
While reiterating the need for cooperation, peace, and harmony, Tinubu appealed Nigerians embrace tolerance and adhere to the lessons of Ramadan.
He urged them to always remember the less privileged in the society.
“We belong to one family of hope and believe in Nigeria. This country is ours. I thank all of you for believing in that for the cooperation, collaboration, and believe that we can live in peace and harmony with one another regardless of ethnic, religious diversity, and faith.
“All I need to appeal for is the tolerance that brought us this far. We have the lessons of Ramadan. We must continue to abide with that, We must continue to share.
“We must continue to remember those less privileged people, the orphanage, widows and widowers, the have nots, believing that we can share both in joy and in time of pains.” Tinubu said.
The President finally charged Nigerians to believe in the common course of the nation which he stressed is greater than anyone.
“And we can believe that Nigeria is greater than anyone of us, including me the President. I’m just a custodian of your trust. It is only Almighty Allah that gives power and He says if I give it to you, you must use it the righteous way. You must be obeying and follow my teachings and do great things to show that I granted you that privileges as a temporary banner of faith that I’m the only one that can take it from you if you don’t know to use it.” He said.