The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that his loyalty will go to those who openly support President Bola Tinubu, urging residents to align themselves with leaders “the government will listen to.”
Wike made the remark on Thursday at the flag-off of Lot 2 of the Karu Water Supply Project, where he praised former FCT senator, Philip Aduda, and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairman, Christopher Maikalangu, for their roles in driving development.
Responding to Aduda’s request for a 2-kilometre road in Karu, Wike promised immediate action.
“There is a road where you said is about 2km, is it not? Consider it done. You know, one thing about government and politics, support those who have capacity to bring something to the people. Support those that government will listen to,” he said.
He added that Aduda’s influence was evident in the federal government’s swift response to his appeal.
“From what happened now, you see that Aduda, government has his ear where he is. And that’s why government said where is that road he mentioned? Consider it done.”
The minister also commended Maikalangu’s track record as AMAC chairman, noting his ability to attract federal projects to his constituency.
“You can see that since he (Maikalangu) became the Chairman of AMAC, he has brought government to do Saburi Road, he has brought the government to do Kabusa-Takushere Road, he has brought government to redo this road. He has brought government to do Deidei Road.”
Wike backs Maikalangu’s re-election bid on loyalty
Wike assured residents that his support for Maikalangu’s re-election bid in 2026 would not be based on party affiliation but on loyalty to the Tinubu administration.
“The chairman has access to us. Anything he tells us, we will do. This is the only man I know. If he wins as chairman of AMAC, we will give him whatever he wants. I don’t know the party he belongs to. But I know that he supports Tinubu. Anybody who supports Tinubu, I will support him.”
Turning to the water project, Wike contrasted the Tinubu-led government with previous administrations, accusing past leaders of neglecting Karu.
“We have had a government who stayed here for five years, isn’t that correct? We have had a government who stayed here for eight years too, is that correct? Has any government come to say, look, we will provide you water? Have you had water before? Did this government promise it will give you water? Have we come now to give you water?”
He told the people of Karu that they had entered a “covenant” with Tinubu’s administration.
“So, you believe you have a covenant with this government. And the covenant is like somebody said, agreement is agreement. So, the people of Karu, you will readily remember the government that remembers you, is it not correct? Will you remember those who had the opportunity and they refused to do anything for you? Will you remember those who left Karu unattended, will you remember them? So, we have come to fulfil the promise we made to you, that you must have clean and potable water.”
Aduda, who represented the FCT under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2011 until his defeat in 2023, was also present at the event. Maikalangu, who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress in 2024, is seeking re-election as AMAC chairman in the February 2026 council polls.
