The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has distanced himself from the ongoing controversy surrounding the screening of aspirants by the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, saying the matter is entirely outside his jurisdiction.
Wike made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office. He emphasized that as a non member of the APC, he had no reason to comment on the party’s internal screening processes.
“I am not a member of the APC, so I don’t know what is happening in their screening. Even if they publish the results, why would I comment? I don’t know the reasons they have,” Wike said.
The minister was also blunt about what he described as the limits of his public commentary, stressing that he would only speak on issues directly related to his responsibilities. “What pertains to me is what I will talk about, not what does not concern me. I am not a native doctor, neither am I a prophet,” he added.
On political realignments in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections, Wike said his so called rainbow coalition would be guided strictly by political strength and electoral advantage rather than party loyalty. He explained that decisions would be based on consultations and strategic considerations.
“That is the essence of the rainbow coalition in Rivers State. We will look at where we have strength, compare notes and vote accordingly,” he said.
During his inspection of projects across the Federal Capital Territory, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace of ongoing infrastructure development. He noted that several road and bridge projects were nearing completion, with contractors promising to finalize remaining works, including streetlights, within weeks.
He highlighted progress on key projects such as the Dutse Alhaji to M5 road and a major bridge project connecting parts of Abuja to Kubwa, describing the developments as evidence of quality execution by contractors.
According to him, several of the projects are expected to be inaugurated as part of activities marking the President’s third anniversary in office.
Wike also addressed concerns about alleged tensions involving tax enforcement in Abuja, noting that while tax collection can be sensitive, no formal complaint had been received by the FCT Administration.
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