The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Dapa-Gomani-Yangoji road project, describing it as part of efforts by President Bola Tinubu to open up satellite towns across the nation’s capital.
Wike made the remarks on Thursday after inspecting the 13-kilometre road project in Gomani, Kwali Area Council of the FCT, where he disclosed that the road would be inaugurated in June as part of activities marking the third anniversary of Tinubu’s administration.
According to the minister, the project aligns with the President’s directive that infrastructure development should not be concentrated only in city centres, but extended to rural and satellite communities to reduce rural-urban migration.
“When we came on board, one of the directives of Mr. President is that we should not concentrate the provision of infrastructure just in the cities; we must open up all the satellite towns,” Wike stated.
He explained that the Dapa-Gomani-Yangoji road forms part of a larger corridor project, noting that the A2 to Pai section had earlier been inaugurated by the President during his second year in office.
The minister further disclosed that work on the bridge had already been completed, while drainage construction had reached between 90 and 95 per cent completion, with installation of streetlight poles ongoing.
Wike commended Zeberced Construction Company for maintaining quality standards and adhering to the project timeline, expressing optimism that the road would be ready for inauguration in June.
“I commend the contractor, Zeberced, for not only providing quality jobs, but also keeping to the timeline, making promises that we will inaugurate this road this June. I’m happy,” he said.
He added that the President would be delighted to witness development extending beyond the city centre into the satellite towns.
“I believe that when Mr. President comes here, it will be a thing of joy for him to see that development is passing through all the satellite towns,” the minister added.
Speaking on reports of an alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Wike dismissed the claims as false, alleging that the rumours were part of political manoeuvres by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.
“There’s no alliance between PDP and APM. It is an imagination of Seyi Makinde. It has now confirmed what we told Nigerians… these guys are very, very fraudulent,” Wike stated.
He further alleged that Makinde was using the APM platform to pursue a presidential ambition which he described as “dead-on-arrival.”
The minister urged political observers to wait for the official submission of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to confirm that the PDP remains a standalone party.
On comments credited to the Governor of Rivers State concerning his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike declined to comment extensively, insisting that internal issues within the ruling party were not his concern.
“I don’t have to go and drink another person’s Panadol. I am not in APC. Ask me about PDP, and I will answer you,” he said.
He added that every political party experiences internal challenges from time to time, describing the Rivers governor’s position in the APC as an issue for the party to resolve internally.