Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has dismissed rumors of considering a presidential run in 2027.
He emphasized his commitment to loyalty, stating that contesting against his mentor, President Bola Tinubu, goes against his principles.
Expressing unwavering commitment to the achievements of the Tinubu administration, Wike reminisced about his enduring pursuit of justice, which prompted him and five other Governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to establish the G5. Their objective was to advocate for a power shift and endorse Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
Speaking in an interview on Friday in Abuja, the minister emphasized that good character should never be compromised in the realm of politics.
He said; “Tinubu made me the FCT minister and I won’t allow anybody to crumble our political structure. No!
“Tinubu made me minister, people don’t understand, I have character. What will happen in 2027? I stood and I said I am not going to support injustice. I was threatened that they would do me this and that. They tried many options including using Major Generals.”
Regarding the reported dispute with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of his home state, Rivers, Wike initially avoided delving into the matter but later asserted that the true test of a person’s character is revealed when entrusted with power and money.
He said; “Give a man power and money, and that is when you will know the person. If you have not given manpower and money don’t say you know the person.
“He may be your friend, he may be your son, sister mother, or father. I don’t want to go into that.
“In three months, it is sad for someone to scatter a political structure that supported and brought you up.
“You know what is painful? All these allegations, I smile. Who and who sat with him? In all your doings be grateful in your life no matter the circumstance. Nobody who is a gentleman or a politician will support this kind of thing.
On his achievements as governor of Rivers State, wike said: “I was paying pensioner’s gratuity every month which were not paid by my predecessor. I took Rivers State to the level where you cannot discuss politics in Nigeria without Rivers State.
“I was an ordinary minister when I became a governor. I challenged the sitting governor and I defeated his candidate. I worked hard.”
Discussing the updated conditions for obtaining land in the Territory, particularly the inclusion of a National Identity Number (NIN) and Biometric Verification Number (BVN) for acquiring a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), the minister explained that these additional measures aim to enhance security and boost revenue generation.
“There are a lot of discrepancies, a lot of cloning of C-of-Os, so we have come up with an idea that every allottee who seeks and applies for a C-of-O must supply his NIN; this is one of the features we are going to put in the new C-of-O.
“If a corporate body doesn’t have an NIN and they have a property, they must put their BVN. So many persons have not registered, and this will make them go and re-register” he stated.
In response to the matter of current landowners holding Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os), Wike said that they would only need to pay a nominal fee for the process of recertification.
“For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a recertification, so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN.
“Those who had a C-of-O before don’t need to pay money again; the highest they can pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation.
“There are people who own seven properties, so this will identify them so they can pay taxes”, he added.
Kanyi Daily recalls that Nyesom Wike had announced the revocation of 167 land plots in districts of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
