Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, engaged some youths in Rivers State under the umbrella of Rainbow Coalition Youths as part of efforts to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike during the meeting, highlighted federal appointments, infrastructural development and improvements in the education sector as key benefits of the Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also cited the appointment of more than 49 Rivers indigenes to federal positions as one of the benefit accruing to the state under the Tinubu administration.
Wike also pointed to the Bonny Road project, which he said had significantly improved access to the oil-rich island community.
“Over 49 Rivers people have been appointed at the federal level due to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu,” Wike said, while urging the youths to recognise the opportunities created by the current administration.
The FCT Minister also drew attention to the Kaa–Ataba Bridge, scheduled for commissioning on November 7 through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing the project as a significant intervention in transportation, commerce and regional integration.
The 1.2-kilometre bridge when commissioned will link Kaa in Khana Local Government Area with Ataba in Andoni Local Government Area.
The project is expected to reduce a journey that previously required approximately two hours by boat to about three minutes by road, easing the movement of people and goods while opening up economic opportunities for surrounding communities.
Wike also referenced the Bonny Road project, noting that improved road access had brought the island community closer to the rest of Rivers State.
The projects, he argued, demonstrate the importance of sustained infrastructure investment in expanding economic opportunities and improving the livelihoods of residents.
While acknowledging that Nigeria was yet to achieve a complete economic recovery, the minister expressed optimism about the country’s prospects, insisting that the situation would improve.
“We are not completely recovered, but it will be better,” he said, adding that the country had also made progress in addressing industrial disputes and strike actions.
Wike at the meeting lashed out at his political opponents, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
Wike described Atiku as a political chameleon and gambler, alleging that his repeated presidential ambitions were driven by a desire to recover the money invested in his campaigns. He claimed Atiku was preparing to contest for the presidency for the eighth time.
Turning to Amaechi, Wike questioned the former governor’s record on public spending and infrastructure, particularly the reported malaria-fumigation programme, the proposed Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital, the abandoned Port Harcourt Monorail and the sale of Rivers State-owned gas turbine power stations.
On the malaria-fumigation initiative, Wike said that the programme had failed to deliver its intended results, arguing that malaria remained prevalent despite the reported expenditure.
He also revisited the controversy surrounding the proposed Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte Specialist Hospital in Igwuruta, which featured in allegations concerning public funds during Amaechi’s administration.
Wike referenced a judicial panel of inquiry headed by Justice George Omereji, which reportedly raised questions over approximately ₦53 billion in withdrawals or missing funds from the Rivers State Reserve Fund between 2014 and May 2015. The controversy was linked, in part, to the proposed specialist hospital, which critics described as a project without a corresponding completed structure.
The minister further criticised the abandoned Port Harcourt Monorail, citing a reported expenditure of ₦68 billion, and challenged Amaechi to account for the transaction involving the sale of state-owned gas turbine power stations. Wike referenced a reported sale value of $308 million, which he equated to approximately ₦419 billion at the exchange rate he cited.
Turning to Peter Obi, Wike said the former presidential candidate could be made “the President of social media,” in an apparent criticism of Obi’s political support base and online popularity.
Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, pledged to prioritise youth development and educational reforms if elected governor.
Chinda promised to run a youth-friendly administration, strengthen the state’s education system and ensure that students’ bursaries are paid, signalling a commitment to addressing concerns affecting young people and students across Rivers State.
His pledge formed a key part of the engagement, which provided a platform for political leaders to interact with young people and discuss governance, education and opportunities for youth participation in public affairs.
