Some indigenes of the Federal Corporal Territory have threatened to withdraw their support for President Bola Tinubu over FCT minister, Nyesom Wike’s recent appointments.
This is even as some chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja have protested the recent appointments by Wike.
According to them, Wike is obsessed with engaging his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists at the expense of APC members despite working for President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, they urged President Bola Tinubu to call Wike to order before he destroys APC’s political structure in Abuja.
Recall that Wike recently appointed the former Chairman of the PDP in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers, Chidi Amadi as Chief of Staff; erstwhile State Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah as Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council; Michael Chinda as Senior Special Adviser on Land, Urban and Regional Planning and Barivure Fred, another senior aide on Environment and Waste Management.
These moves have continued to cause dissatisfaction among APC members and indigenes of the FCT.
Speaking on behalf of the group, a party chieftain in FCT, Abdulwahab Ekekhide, faulted Wike’s appointments since his coming to office, describing them as lopsided and an “utter disregard” for FCT members of the party who contributed to the president’s election victory.
“We want to let President Bola Tinubu know that Nyesom Wike is killing the political structure of the APC in FCT due to his lack of regard for the party and its leadership,” Ekekhide said.
“Since their assumption of office, he has refused to sit with the party’s leadership, even though the party has written him a series of letters to grant the party audience, all to no avail. We say this is unacceptable.
“You will all recall some months back when Wike was quoted as saying, ‘Nobody can take over or kill my political structure in Rivers State.’ So why is he now killing the President’s political structure in the FCT?
“The reason the APC always loses elections in the FCT is that successive ministers import strangers who do not belong to any political ward or polling unit or have voting rights as appointees. But when it is time for general elections, they will pack their baggage and travel to their various states, leaving the FCT dry.
“We call on Mr. President to caution the minister. Let him start empowering the party or else, the APC will struggle to get two percent and the President may lose the next area councils election in 2027 if the situation remains this way. These recent appointment have shown that Wike wants to finally kill and bury the party. His agenda we don’t know but we will resist any further attempts to ridicule the party.”
The APC Youth Leader of the FCT, Isaac David, also noted that Wike would not vote for Tinubu in Abuja adding that indigenes and residents of the nation’s capital may support another candidate in 2027.
David, an indigene of Abuja, also threatened that if Wike is allowed to continue denying party members their rights after working so hard for the president’s electoral victory, they may be forced to withdraw their support for the president.
“The minister’s PVC wasn’t registered in the FCT here. Same goes to the PDP loyalists and supporters he is bringing into Abuja for appointments. If they are ignoring us the indigenes and the FCT APC members, we will see who will vote him back in 2027.
“We will withdraw our support from Mr President. Let us see he plans to win the FCT in 2027,” he stated.
